diff --git a/apps/dashboard/lib/Controller/DashboardController.php b/apps/dashboard/lib/Controller/DashboardController.php
index c9fd96fcb6f74..e25f9d3c359d2 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/lib/Controller/DashboardController.php
+++ b/apps/dashboard/lib/Controller/DashboardController.php
@@ -103,8 +103,11 @@ public function index(): TemplateResponse {
 				'url' => $widget->getUrl()
 			];
 		}, $this->dashboardManager->getWidgets());
-		$configStatuses = $this->config->getUserValue($this->userId, 'dashboard', 'statuses', '{}');
+		// we avoid getting an empty array as it will not produce an object in UI
+		$configStatuses = $this->config->getUserValue($this->userId, 'dashboard', 'statuses', '{"weather": true}');
 		$statuses = json_decode($configStatuses, true);
+		$statuses = $statuses ? $statuses : ['weather' => true];
+
 		$this->inititalStateService->provideInitialState('dashboard', 'panels', $widgets);
 		$this->inititalStateService->provideInitialState('dashboard', 'statuses', $statuses);
 		$this->inititalStateService->provideInitialState('dashboard', 'layout', $userLayout);