diff --git a/core_service.go b/core_service.go
index 9737ce9..7e28920 100644
--- a/core_service.go
+++ b/core_service.go
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ func (s *CoreService) CurrentDebug() bool {
 // State returns a copy-safe snapshot of the wrapped service configuration.
 func (s *CoreService) State() ServiceState {
 	if s == nil || s.svc == nil {
-		return State()
+		return defaultServiceStateSnapshot()
 	}
 	return s.svc.State()
 }
diff --git a/core_service_test.go b/core_service_test.go
index 23ad650..049929f 100644
--- a/core_service_test.go
+++ b/core_service_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ import (
 
 func TestCoreServiceNilSafe(t *testing.T) {
 	var svc *CoreService
+	savedDefault := defaultService.Load()
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		defaultService.Store(savedDefault)
+	})
+	defaultService.Store(nil)
 
 	assert.NotPanics(t, func() {
 		assert.Equal(t, ModeNormal, svc.Mode())
@@ -28,9 +33,10 @@ func TestCoreServiceNilSafe(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, "hello", svc.T("hello"))
 		assert.Equal(t, "hello", svc.Raw("hello"))
 		assert.Equal(t, core.Result{Value: "hello", OK: false}, svc.Translate("hello"))
-		assert.Equal(t, State(), svc.State())
-		assert.Equal(t, State(), svc.CurrentState())
+		assert.Equal(t, defaultServiceStateSnapshot(), svc.State())
+		assert.Equal(t, defaultServiceStateSnapshot(), svc.CurrentState())
 	})
+	assert.Nil(t, defaultService.Load())
 
 	assert.NoError(t, svc.OnStartup(nil))
 	svc.SetMode(ModeCollect)
diff --git a/i18n.go b/i18n.go
index 2b2e0ed..5ae3398 100644
--- a/i18n.go
+++ b/i18n.go
@@ -180,19 +180,7 @@ func CurrentDebug() bool {
 
 // State returns a copy-safe snapshot of the default service configuration.
 func State() ServiceState {
-	return defaultServiceValue(ServiceState{
-		Language:           "en",
-		RequestedLanguage:  "",
-		LanguageExplicit:   false,
-		AvailableLanguages: []string{},
-		Mode:               ModeNormal,
-		Fallback:           "en",
-		Formality:          FormalityNeutral,
-		Direction:          DirLTR,
-		IsRTL:              false,
-		Debug:              false,
-		Handlers:           []KeyHandler{},
-	}, func(svc *Service) ServiceState {
+	return defaultServiceValue(defaultServiceStateSnapshot(), func(svc *Service) ServiceState {
 		return svc.State()
 	})
 }
diff --git a/state.go b/state.go
index 2a4013f..c68c23b 100644
--- a/state.go
+++ b/state.go
@@ -4,6 +4,22 @@ import (
 	"dappco.re/go/core"
 )
 
+func defaultServiceStateSnapshot() ServiceState {
+	return ServiceState{
+		Language:           "en",
+		RequestedLanguage:  "",
+		LanguageExplicit:   false,
+		AvailableLanguages: []string{},
+		Mode:               ModeNormal,
+		Fallback:           "en",
+		Formality:          FormalityNeutral,
+		Direction:          DirLTR,
+		IsRTL:              false,
+		Debug:              false,
+		Handlers:           []KeyHandler{},
+	}
+}
+
 // ServiceState captures the current configuration of a service in one
 // copy-safe snapshot.
 type ServiceState struct {
@@ -59,19 +75,7 @@ func (s ServiceState) String() string {
 
 func (s *Service) State() ServiceState {
 	if s == nil {
-		return ServiceState{
-			Language:           "en",
-			RequestedLanguage:  "",
-			LanguageExplicit:   false,
-			AvailableLanguages: []string{},
-			Mode:               ModeNormal,
-			Fallback:           "en",
-			Formality:          FormalityNeutral,
-			Direction:          DirLTR,
-			IsRTL:              false,
-			Debug:              false,
-			Handlers:           []KeyHandler{},
-		}
+		return defaultServiceStateSnapshot()
 	}
 	s.mu.RLock()
 	defer s.mu.RUnlock()