diff --git a/db.go b/db.go
index 165b204..b187d3d 100644
--- a/db.go
+++ b/db.go
@@ -692,7 +692,8 @@ func EnsureIndexes(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB) error {
 }
 
 // AllAuthors returns the distinct issue authors for the filter datalist: seeded
-// users' logins plus any github/guest creator_name. Small set, fetched once.
+// users' logins plus any github/guest creator_name. Small set, fetched once at
+// startup; app.addAuthor keeps it current as new creators appear.
 func AllAuthors(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB) ([]string, error) {
 	rows, err := db.QueryContext(ctx, `
 		SELECT login FROM users
diff --git a/helpers_test.go b/helpers_test.go
index 58ec0f1..e3f94c2 100644
--- a/helpers_test.go
+++ b/helpers_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 	"unicode/utf8"
@@ -129,6 +131,34 @@ func TestCacheKeysLabelOrderIndependent(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestAddAuthor(t *testing.T) {
+	a := &app{}
+	a.authors.Store(&[]string{"alice", "carol"})
+
+	a.addAuthor("bob") // new author lands in sorted position
+	if got, want := *a.authors.Load(), []string{"alice", "bob", "carol"}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("after addAuthor(bob): %v, want %v", got, want)
+	}
+	a.addAuthor("bob") // existing author is not duplicated
+	if got := *a.authors.Load(); len(got) != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("addAuthor(bob) twice: %v, want no duplicate", got)
+	}
+	// Concurrent first-time creators all survive the CAS race (run with -race).
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	names := []string{"dave", "erin", "frank", "grace"}
+	for _, n := range names {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			a.addAuthor(n)
+		}()
+	}
+	wg.Wait()
+	if got := *a.authors.Load(); len(got) != 7 || !slices.IsSorted(got) {
+		t.Fatalf("after concurrent adds: %v, want 7 sorted authors", got)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestBoolToInt(t *testing.T) {
 	if boolToInt(true) != 1 {
 		t.Error("boolToInt(true) != 1")
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 236a5a3..913b5a7 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"runtime"
+	"slices"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync/atomic"
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ type app struct {
 	lists      *ListCache  // shared, version-invalidated rendered-list cache
 	hub        *Hub
 	catalog    []Label
-	authors    []string // distinct issue authors, for the filter datalist
+	authors    atomic.Pointer[[]string] // distinct issue authors for the filter datalist; copy-on-write (see addAuthor)
 	stats      *appStats
 	writeLimit bool          // write rate-limit toggle (disable for load tests)
 	writes     *writeLimiter // per-identity write budget (keyed by login, not sid)
@@ -197,7 +198,6 @@ func main() {
 		lists:      newListCache(reads, &version),
 		hub:        hub,
 		catalog:    catalog,
-		authors:    authors,
 		stats:      &appStats{},
 		writeLimit: *writeLimit,
 		writes:     newWriteLimiter(),
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ func main() {
 		devUser:    *devUser,
 		baseURL:    strings.TrimRight(base, "/"),
 	}
+	a.authors.Store(&authors)
 	go a.sample()
 
 	// ---- public listener: the app, stream, and commands ----
@@ -1016,6 +1017,24 @@ func (a *app) handleComment(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	_ = sse.MarshalAndPatchSignals(map[string]any{"draft": "", "_notice": "", "_busy": false})
 }
 
+// addAuthor inserts name into the author-facet datalist if it's new. The list
+// is a startup snapshot (AllAuthors) refreshed only here, on issue create —
+// the one path that can mint an author. Copy-on-write keeps the sorted slice
+// immutable, so concurrent renders read it without locking.
+func (a *app) addAuthor(name string) {
+	for {
+		cur := a.authors.Load()
+		i, found := slices.BinarySearch(*cur, name)
+		if found {
+			return
+		}
+		next := slices.Insert(slices.Clone(*cur), i, name)
+		if a.authors.CompareAndSwap(cur, &next) {
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // handleCreate inserts a new issue. Unlike comments this changes the issue set,
 // so the write op sets affectsCounts=true → bumps dataVersion → the count cache
 // is invalidated and every session's list re-projects with the new row on top.
@@ -1087,6 +1106,7 @@ func (a *app) handleCreate(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	a.addAuthor(creator) // a first-time creator should appear in the author facet now, not after restart
 	// Close the composer and focus the new issue for its creator.
 	sess.withState(func(st *SessionState) {
 		st.Composing = false
diff --git a/render.go b/render.go
index 28c5b42..e48f86e 100644
--- a/render.go
+++ b/render.go
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ func (a *app) renderRegions(ctx context.Context, state SessionState, vw viewer)
 		log.Printf("count: %v", cr.err) // non-fatal: fall back to the shown count
 		cr.n, cr.capped = shown, false
 	}
-	facets, err := renderToString("facets", buildFacets(a.catalog, a.authors, state, shown, cr.n, cr.capped, vw))
+	facets, err := renderToString("facets", buildFacets(a.catalog, *a.authors.Load(), state, shown, cr.n, cr.capped, vw))
 	if err != nil {
 		return regionSet{}, err
 	}
diff --git a/tasks/prelaunch-checklist.md b/tasks/prelaunch-checklist.md
index c1e21b1..6add213 100644
--- a/tasks/prelaunch-checklist.md
+++ b/tasks/prelaunch-checklist.md
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ Verified clean at review time: `go vet ./...`, `gofmt -l .`, `go test -race ./..
 
 - [x] **P3.5 Document the `sid` trust boundary** — `main.go:364-372`, `main.go:403-424`. Sessions are keyed by a client-chosen sid: knowing another tab's UUID lets you steer its *view* state (not auth — writes use the signed cookie). Acceptable by design; add a code comment stating the boundary so readers don't copy it into an app where it isn't. (Partially addressed by P0.3.)
 
-- [ ] **P3.6 New authors never appear in facets until restart** — `main.go:153` (`a.authors` is a startup snapshot) used at `render.go:514`. Pure staleness, not a race. **Fix or document:** refresh on issue create by a new author, or comment that the datalist is a startup snapshot by design.
+- [x] **P3.6 New authors never appear in facets until restart** — `main.go:153` (`a.authors` is a startup snapshot) used at `render.go:514`. Pure staleness, not a race. **Fix or document:** refresh on issue create by a new author, or comment that the datalist is a startup snapshot by design.
 
 ## P4 — Nice to have