diff --git a/lib/activeadmin_table_footer.rb b/lib/activeadmin_table_footer.rb
index 6dc4385..d05f63b 100644
--- a/lib/activeadmin_table_footer.rb
+++ b/lib/activeadmin_table_footer.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
+# Load ActiveAdmin first so `ActiveAdmin::Views::TableFor` and
+# `IndexAsTable` exist by the time we prepend onto them. AA doesn't
+# publish a load hook for itself (only `:active_admin_controller`), and
+# `config.to_prepare` would fire too late for engines that require AA
+# resources from an initializer. Sibling plugins (active_admin_sidebar,
+# etc.) use the same pattern.
+require "activeadmin"
 require "activeadmin_table_footer/version"
 require "activeadmin_table_footer/styles"
 
@@ -22,3 +29,8 @@ def configure
 end
 
 require "activeadmin_table_footer/engine" if defined?(Rails)
+require "activeadmin_table_footer/table_for_extension"
+require "activeadmin_table_footer/index_as_table_extension"
+
+ActiveAdmin::Views::TableFor.prepend(ActiveadminTableFooter::TableForExtension)
+ActiveAdmin::Views::IndexAsTable.prepend(ActiveadminTableFooter::IndexAsTableExtension)
diff --git a/lib/activeadmin_table_footer/engine.rb b/lib/activeadmin_table_footer/engine.rb
index 521fea8..9e743f1 100644
--- a/lib/activeadmin_table_footer/engine.rb
+++ b/lib/activeadmin_table_footer/engine.rb
@@ -3,13 +3,11 @@
 require "rails/engine"
 
 module ActiveadminTableFooter
+  # Empty engine — kept so Rails recognizes this gem as an engine on
+  # boot. Patches are applied eagerly from
+  # `lib/activeadmin_table_footer.rb` so they are in place before AA
+  # resources are loaded (even when consuming engines `require` admin
+  # files from an initializer).
   class Engine < ::Rails::Engine
-    config.to_prepare do
-      require "activeadmin_table_footer/table_for_extension"
-      require "activeadmin_table_footer/index_as_table_extension"
-
-      ActiveAdmin::Views::TableFor.prepend(ActiveadminTableFooter::TableForExtension)
-      ActiveAdmin::Views::IndexAsTable.prepend(ActiveadminTableFooter::IndexAsTableExtension)
-    end
   end
 end