diff --git a/Source/VABOrganizer/AdvancedSorting.cs b/Source/VABOrganizer/AdvancedSorting.cs
index 68d4a3c..4acde39 100644
--- a/Source/VABOrganizer/AdvancedSorting.cs
+++ b/Source/VABOrganizer/AdvancedSorting.cs
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ public static void ChangeAdvancedSortMode(AdvancedSortType newType)
         if (curMode != uiSorterBase.sortingButtonStates[5])
         {
           Utils.Log($"[Advanced Sorting] In a non-custom mode, clicking button 5");
-          // Just fake click the button
+          // ClickButton invokes SortingCallback synchronously, so select the requested sorter before entering custom mode.
           uiSorterBase.ClickButton(5);
           CurrentAdvancedSort = newType;
           return;
diff --git a/Source/VABOrganizer/AvailablePartData.cs b/Source/VABOrganizer/AvailablePartData.cs
index b6f3e1f..c03d2fc 100644
--- a/Source/VABOrganizer/AvailablePartData.cs
+++ b/Source/VABOrganizer/AvailablePartData.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using UnityEngine;
 
 namespace VABOrganizer
@@ -20,28 +21,31 @@ void Awake()
     void Start()
     {
       ConfigNode[] variableRoot = GameDatabase.Instance.GetConfigNodes(Settings.ORGANIZER_VARIABLE_ROOT_NODE_NAME);
-      if (variableRoot.Length > 0)
+      List<ConfigNode> variableNodes = new List<ConfigNode>();
+      foreach (ConfigNode rootNode in variableRoot)
+      {
+        variableNodes.AddRange(rootNode.GetNodes(Settings.ORGANIZER_VARIABLE_NODE_NAME));
+      }
+      variableNodes.AddRange(GameDatabase.Instance.GetConfigNodes(Settings.ORGANIZER_VARIABLE_NODE_NAME));
+
+      if (variableNodes.Count > 0)
       {
         ConfigVariables = new List<CustomSortVariable>();
         Utils.Log($"[AdvancedSortingDataStore]: Loading variable definitions");
 
-        foreach (ConfigNode rootNode in variableRoot)
+        foreach (ConfigNode varNode in variableNodes)
         {
-          ConfigNode[] variableNodes = rootNode.GetNodes(Settings.ORGANIZER_VARIABLE_NODE_NAME);
-          foreach (ConfigNode varNode in variableNodes)
+          CustomSortVariable data = new CustomSortVariable(varNode);
+          if (!ConfigVariables.Contains(data))
           {
-            CustomSortVariable data = new CustomSortVariable(varNode);
-            if (!ConfigVariables.Contains(data))
-            {
-              ConfigVariables.Add(data);
-            }
-            else
-            {
-              Utils.LogWarning($"[AdvancedSortingDataStore]: Multiple {Settings.ORGANIZER_VARIABLE_NODE_NAME} with the same name ({data.Name}) found, skipping others");
-            }
+            ConfigVariables.Add(data);
+          }
+          else
+          {
+            Utils.LogWarning($"[AdvancedSortingDataStore]: Multiple {Settings.ORGANIZER_VARIABLE_NODE_NAME} with the same name ({data.Name}) found, skipping others");
           }
-          Utils.Log($"[AdvancedSortingDataStore]: Loaded {ConfigVariables.Count} sorting variable definitions");
         }
+        Utils.Log($"[AdvancedSortingDataStore]: Loaded {ConfigVariables.Count} sorting variable definitions");
       }
 
 
@@ -60,7 +64,26 @@ public void OnPartLoaderLoaded()
       Utils.Log($"[AdvancedSortingDataStore]: Starting part data parse");
       foreach (AvailablePart p in PartLoader.Instance.loadedParts)
       {
-        PartData.Add(p.name, new AvailablePartData(p));
+        if (p == null || string.IsNullOrEmpty(p.name))
+        {
+          Utils.LogWarning("[AdvancedSortingDataStore]: Loaded part has no name, skipping");
+          continue;
+        }
+
+        try
+        {
+          if (PartData.ContainsKey(p.name))
+          {
+            Utils.LogWarning($"[AdvancedSortingDataStore]: Duplicate loaded part name '{p.name}' ({p.title}); keeping the first entry");
+            continue;
+          }
+
+          PartData.Add(p.name, new AvailablePartData(p));
+        }
+        catch (Exception e)
+        {
+          Utils.LogError($"[AdvancedSortingDataStore]: Failed to parse part '{p.name}' ({p.title}): {e}");
+        }
       }
       watch.Stop();
       /// TODO: 7 ms for stock + NFT on Chris' garbage laptop is fine, may need to be optimized later
@@ -358,4 +381,4 @@ void ProcessModule_Engine(ConfigNode node)
       }
     }
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/Source/VABOrganizer/Harmony/EditorPartList.cs b/Source/VABOrganizer/Harmony/EditorPartList.cs
index 2cdaa0a..47a4c08 100644
--- a/Source/VABOrganizer/Harmony/EditorPartList.cs
+++ b/Source/VABOrganizer/Harmony/EditorPartList.cs
@@ -30,13 +30,32 @@ internal static bool PatchSorting(EditorPartList __instance, int button, bool as
       {
         if (AdvancedSorting.CurrentAdvancedSort != null)
         {
+          string sortKey = AdvancedSorting.CurrentAdvancedSort.Sorter;
           partSortProperty.SetValue(__instance,
             new RUIutils.FuncComparer<AvailablePart>((AvailablePart r1, AvailablePart r2) =>
-            RUIutils.SortAscDescPrimarySecondary(asc, AdvancedSortingDataStore.Instance.PartData[r1.name].GetData(AdvancedSorting.CurrentAdvancedSort.Sorter).CompareTo(AdvancedSortingDataStore.Instance.PartData[r2.name].GetData(AdvancedSorting.CurrentAdvancedSort.Sorter)), r1.title.CompareTo(r2.title))));
+            RUIutils.SortAscDescPrimarySecondary(asc, CompareAdvancedSortValues(r1, r2, sortKey), r1.title.CompareTo(r2.title))));
         }
       }
       return true;
     }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Compare parsed advanced-sort values without allowing an unparseable or
+    /// dynamically added part to break sorting for the entire editor list.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static int CompareAdvancedSortValues(AvailablePart first, AvailablePart second, string sortKey)
+    {
+      var partData = AdvancedSortingDataStore.Instance.PartData;
+      bool hasFirst = partData.TryGetValue(first.name, out AvailablePartData firstData);
+      bool hasSecond = partData.TryGetValue(second.name, out AvailablePartData secondData);
+
+      if (hasFirst && hasSecond)
+      {
+        return firstData.GetData(sortKey).CompareTo(secondData.GetData(sortKey));
+      }
+
+      return hasFirst == hasSecond ? 0 : hasFirst ? 1 : -1;
+    }
     /// <summary>
     /// Patch the part icon update to assign icons to the right categories
     /// </summary>
@@ -108,4 +127,4 @@ internal static bool PatchStart(EditorPartList __instance)
       return true;
     }
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/Source/VABOrganizer/Utils.cs b/Source/VABOrganizer/Utils.cs
index ca9aa4a..bb4edda 100644
--- a/Source/VABOrganizer/Utils.cs
+++ b/Source/VABOrganizer/Utils.cs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public static T FindChildOfType<T>(string name, Transform parent)
       }
       catch (NullReferenceException e)
       {
-        Debug.LogError($"Couldn't find {name} in children of {parent.name}");
+        Debug.LogError($"Couldn't find {name} in children of {parent.name}: {e}");
       }
       return result;
     }