diff --git a/lib/compat/wordpress-6.8/preload.php b/lib/compat/wordpress-6.8/preload.php
index 16aeb4a50619f..aabe0d4fb574c 100644
--- a/lib/compat/wordpress-6.8/preload.php
+++ b/lib/compat/wordpress-6.8/preload.php
@@ -17,10 +17,7 @@ function gutenberg_block_editor_preload_paths_6_8( $paths, $context ) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		// Core already preloads both of these for `core/edit-post`.
-		// To do: investigate why adding this preload path breaks the site
-		// editor in Safari ("template not found"). Perhaps a race condition?
-		// $paths[] = '/wp/v2/settings';
+		$paths[] = '/wp/v2/settings';
 		$paths[] = array( '/wp/v2/settings', 'OPTIONS' );
 		$paths[] = '/?_fields=' . implode(
 			',',
diff --git a/packages/core-data/src/resolvers.js b/packages/core-data/src/resolvers.js
index a3bbd37f2d7c2..ae0c7f456e533 100644
--- a/packages/core-data/src/resolvers.js
+++ b/packages/core-data/src/resolvers.js
@@ -749,12 +749,13 @@ export const getNavigationFallbackId =
 
 export const getDefaultTemplateId =
 	( query ) =>
-	async ( { dispatch, registry } ) => {
-		const response = await apiFetch( {
+	async ( { dispatch, registry, resolveSelect } ) => {
+		const template = await apiFetch( {
 			path: addQueryArgs( '/wp/v2/templates/lookup', query ),
-			parse: false,
 		} );
-		const template = await response.json();
+		// Wait for the the entities config to be loaded, otherwise receiving
+		// the template as an entity will not work.
+		await resolveSelect.getEntitiesConfig( 'postType' );
 		// Endpoint may return an empty object if no template is found.
 		if ( template?.id ) {
 			registry.batch( () => {