diff --git a/Core/Resgrid.AdminAssist/ConfigurationCatalog.cs b/Core/Resgrid.AdminAssist/ConfigurationCatalog.cs
index 7cbf1c2b..0c15d290 100644
--- a/Core/Resgrid.AdminAssist/ConfigurationCatalog.cs
+++ b/Core/Resgrid.AdminAssist/ConfigurationCatalog.cs
@@ -26,14 +26,17 @@ public sealed class ConfigurationCatalog : IAdminAssistCatalog
 
 		public ConfigurationCatalog() : this(ReadEmbedded()) { }
 
-		public ConfigurationCatalog(IEnumerable<string> documents)
+		// Private so Autofac cannot choose it: IEnumerable<string> always resolves (empty), and the container prefers the widest constructor.
+		private ConfigurationCatalog(IEnumerable<string> documents)
 		{
 			var options = new JsonSerializerOptions { PropertyNameCaseInsensitive = true,
 				UnmappedMemberHandling = JsonUnmappedMemberHandling.Disallow };
 			options.Converters.Add(new JsonStringEnumConverter());
 			var packs = documents.Select(document => JsonSerializer.Deserialize<CatalogDocument>(document, options)
 				?? throw new InvalidDataException("Empty Admin Assist catalog document.")).ToList();
-			if (packs.Count == 0 || packs.Select(p => p.Version).Distinct().Count() != 1 || string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(packs[0].Version))
+			if (packs.Count == 0)
+				throw new InvalidDataException("No Admin Assist catalog documents were supplied.");
+			if (packs.Select(p => p.Version).Distinct().Count() != 1 || string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(packs[0].Version))
 				throw new InvalidDataException("Admin Assist catalog versions must agree.");
 			Version = packs[0].Version;
 			Areas = Freeze(packs.SelectMany(p => p.Areas).OrderBy(a => a.Order).Select(a => a with { Archetypes = Freeze(a.Archetypes) }));
diff --git a/Tests/Resgrid.Tests/AdminAssist/CatalogTests.cs b/Tests/Resgrid.Tests/AdminAssist/CatalogTests.cs
index 39ebdadc..f2f376c7 100644
--- a/Tests/Resgrid.Tests/AdminAssist/CatalogTests.cs
+++ b/Tests/Resgrid.Tests/AdminAssist/CatalogTests.cs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Reflection;
 using System.Resources;
+using Autofac;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
 using NUnit.Framework;
 using Resgrid.AdminAssist;
@@ -189,5 +190,14 @@ public void Embedded_documentation_anchors_resolve_and_onboarding_is_searchable(
 			using var search = new AdminAssistReferenceSearch(Catalog);
 			Assert.That(search.Search("resume setup", "en").Any(hit => hit.Id.StartsWith("guide.")), Is.True);
 		}
+		[Test]
+		public void Container_builds_the_catalog_from_the_embedded_documents()
+		{
+			// Autofac picks the widest public constructor it can satisfy and always satisfies IEnumerable<T> (empty when
+			// nothing is registered), so a public documents constructor would be handed an empty catalog.
+			var builder = new ContainerBuilder(); builder.RegisterModule<Resgrid.Services.ServicesModule>();
+			using var container = builder.Build(Autofac.Builder.ContainerBuildOptions.IgnoreStartableComponents);
+			Assert.That(container.Resolve<IAdminAssistCatalog>().Settings, Is.Not.Empty);
+		}
 	}
 }