diff --git a/public/js/controllers/headerCtrl.js b/public/js/controllers/headerCtrl.js
index 37dbead9fb..65da48b89e 100644
--- a/public/js/controllers/headerCtrl.js
+++ b/public/js/controllers/headerCtrl.js
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@
 
 habitrpg.controller("HeaderCtrl", ['$scope', 'Groups', 'User',
   function($scope, Groups, User) {
-    $scope.party = Groups.party();
-    $scope.partyMinusSelf = _.filter($scope.party, function(member){
-      return member._id !== User.user._id;
+    $scope.party = Groups.party(function(){
+      $scope.partyMinusSelf = _.filter($scope.party.members, function(member){
+        return member._id !== User.user._id;
+      });
     });
   }
 ]);
diff --git a/public/js/services/groupServices.js b/public/js/services/groupServices.js
index 9c470f777f..bce061f374 100644
--- a/public/js/services/groupServices.js
+++ b/public/js/services/groupServices.js
@@ -22,12 +22,10 @@ angular.module('groupServices', ['ngResource']).
         // Defer loading everything until they're requested
         var party, myGuilds, publicGuilds, tavern;
 
-        // But we don't defer triggering Party, since we always need it for the header if nothing else
-        party = Group.get({gid: 'party'});
-
         return {
-          party: function(){
-            return party;
+          party: function(cb){
+            if (!party) return (party = Group.get({gid: 'party'}, cb));
+            return (cb) ? cb(party) : party;
           },
           publicGuilds: function(){
             //TODO combine these as {type:'guilds,public'} and create a $filter() to separate them
diff --git a/views/shared/header/header.jade b/views/shared/header/header.jade
index 68f71e2d6e..28a32bee52 100644
--- a/views/shared/header/header.jade
+++ b/views/shared/header/header.jade
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
               i.icon-signal
     // party
     span(ng-controller='PartyCtrl')
-      .herobox-wrap(ng-repeat='profile in party.members | filter:removeSelf')
+      .herobox-wrap(ng-repeat='profile in partyMinusSelf')
         include avatar
 
     .NPC-Bailey-Head(ng-show='user.flags.newStuff', tooltip='Psst', tooltip-placement='top', ng-click='modals.newStuff=true')