diff --git a/.last-branch b/.last-branch
index b87b12d..92ab6e6 100644
--- a/.last-branch
+++ b/.last-branch
@@ -1 +1 @@
-v20260103-11-reports-view-raw-columns-fix
+v20260103-12-reports-columns-selector-init-fix
diff --git a/containers/backupchecks/src/backend/app/main/routes_reporting_api.py b/containers/backupchecks/src/backend/app/main/routes_reporting_api.py
index 103f3e3..73428ee 100644
--- a/containers/backupchecks/src/backend/app/main/routes_reporting_api.py
+++ b/containers/backupchecks/src/backend/app/main/routes_reporting_api.py
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ def api_reports_columns():
         return err
 
     # Keep the payload stable so report_config can safely store selected keys.
-        return build_report_columns_meta()
+    return build_report_columns_meta()
 
 
 
diff --git a/containers/backupchecks/src/templates/main/reports_new.html b/containers/backupchecks/src/templates/main/reports_new.html
index 7b04e58..66486db 100644
--- a/containers/backupchecks/src/templates/main/reports_new.html
+++ b/containers/backupchecks/src/templates/main/reports_new.html
@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@
 
 <script>
   window.__reportColumnsMeta = {{ columns_meta|tojson }};
+  window.__initialCustomers = {{ initial_customers|tojson }};
   window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
     function qs(id) { return document.getElementById(id); }
 
@@ -529,6 +530,7 @@
     }
 
     function loadCustomers() {
+      var initialCustomers = window.__initialCustomers || null;
       if (initialCustomers && Array.isArray(initialCustomers) && initialCustomers.length) {
         // Already rendered server-side. Keep the selects usable even if API calls fail.
         return;
diff --git a/docs/changelog.md b/docs/changelog.md
index f1f988c..6a29673 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.md
+++ b/docs/changelog.md
@@ -100,6 +100,13 @@
 - Updated the Reports UI to use embedded column metadata as a fallback, ensuring column selection is available even when an API fetch fails.
 - Improved column metadata loading logic to only fetch metadata when it is not already present in the report payload.
 
+---
+
+## v20260103-12-reports-columns-selector-init-fix
+
+- Fixed /api/reports/columns to always return the column metadata payload (removed incorrect indentation that prevented a response for authorized users).
+- Ensured the “New report” page always initializes the column selector by providing the initial customers payload to the frontend (prevents JS initialization issues that could stop the column lists from rendering).
+
 
 ================================================================================================================================================