diff --git a/netbox/extras/dashboard/utils.py b/netbox/extras/dashboard/utils.py
index 97d1b8f0c..8281cc522 100644
--- a/netbox/extras/dashboard/utils.py
+++ b/netbox/extras/dashboard/utils.py
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 import uuid
 
+from django.core.exceptions import ObjectDoesNotExist
+
 from netbox.registry import registry
 from extras.constants import DEFAULT_DASHBOARD
-from extras.models import Dashboard
 
 __all__ = (
     'get_dashboard',
-    'get_default_dashboard_config',
-    'get_widget_class_and_config',
+    'get_default_dashboard',
+    'get_widget_class',
     'register_widget',
 )
 
@@ -23,32 +24,36 @@ def register_widget(cls):
     return cls
 
 
-def get_widget_class_and_config(dashboard, id):
-    config = dict(dashboard.config[id])  # Copy to avoid mutating userconfig data
-    widget_class = registry['widgets'].get(config.pop('class'))
-    return widget_class, config
+def get_widget_class(name):
+    """
+    Return a registered DashboardWidget class identified by its name.
+    """
+    try:
+        return registry['widgets'][name]
+    except KeyError:
+        raise ValueError(f"Unregistered widget class: {name}")
 
 
 def get_dashboard(user):
     """
-    Return the dashboard layout for a given User.
+    Return the Dashboard for a given User if one exists, or generate a default dashboard.
     """
-    if not user.is_anonymous and hasattr(user, 'dashboard'):
-        dashboard = user.dashboard
+    if user.is_anonymous:
+        dashboard = get_default_dashboard()
     else:
-        dashboard = get_default_dashboard_config()
+        try:
+            dashboard = user.dashboard
+        except ObjectDoesNotExist:
+            # Create a dashboard for this user
+            dashboard = get_default_dashboard()
+            dashboard.user = user
+            dashboard.save()
 
-    widgets = []
-    for grid_item in dashboard.layout:
-        widget_class, widget_config = get_widget_class_and_config(dashboard, grid_item['id'])
-        widget = widget_class(id=grid_item['id'], **widget_config)
-        widget.set_layout(grid_item)
-        widgets.append(widget)
-
-    return widgets
+    return dashboard
 
 
-def get_default_dashboard_config():
+def get_default_dashboard():
+    from extras.models import Dashboard
     dashboard = Dashboard(
         layout=[],
         config={}
diff --git a/netbox/extras/dashboard/widgets.py b/netbox/extras/dashboard/widgets.py
index 6e6113a9e..cee8f5f67 100644
--- a/netbox/extras/dashboard/widgets.py
+++ b/netbox/extras/dashboard/widgets.py
@@ -61,6 +61,14 @@ class DashboardWidget:
     def name(self):
         return f'{self.__class__.__module__.split(".")[0]}.{self.__class__.__name__}'
 
+    @property
+    def form_data(self):
+        return {
+            'title': self.title,
+            'color': self.color,
+            'config': self.config,
+        }
+
 
 @register_widget
 class NoteWidget(DashboardWidget):
diff --git a/netbox/extras/models/dashboard.py b/netbox/extras/models/dashboard.py
index f17a3be57..cdbf85b60 100644
--- a/netbox/extras/models/dashboard.py
+++ b/netbox/extras/models/dashboard.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
 from django.db import models
 
+from extras.dashboard.utils import get_widget_class
+
 __all__ = (
     'Dashboard',
 )
@@ -18,7 +20,30 @@ class Dashboard(models.Model):
     class Meta:
         pass
 
+    def get_widget(self, id):
+        """
+        Instantiate and return a widget by its ID
+        """
+        id = str(id)
+        config = dict(self.config[id])  # Copy to avoid mutating instance data
+        widget_class = get_widget_class(config.pop('class'))
+        return widget_class(id=id, **config)
+
+    def get_layout(self):
+        """
+        Return the dashboard's configured layout, suitable for rendering with gridstack.js.
+        """
+        widgets = []
+        for grid_item in self.layout:
+            widget = self.get_widget(grid_item['id'])
+            widget.set_layout(grid_item)
+            widgets.append(widget)
+        return widgets
+
     def add_widget(self, widget, x=None, y=None):
+        """
+        Add a widget to the dashboard, optionally specifying its X & Y coordinates.
+        """
         id = str(widget.id)
         self.config[id] = {
             'class': widget.name,
@@ -35,6 +60,10 @@ class Dashboard(models.Model):
         })
 
     def delete_widget(self, id):
+        """
+        Delete a widget from the dashboard.
+        """
+        id = str(id)
         del self.config[id]
         self.layout = [
             item for item in self.layout if item['id'] != id
diff --git a/netbox/extras/views.py b/netbox/extras/views.py
index a53b4f05d..03b630ae8 100644
--- a/netbox/extras/views.py
+++ b/netbox/extras/views.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ from django_rq.queues import get_connection
 from rq import Worker
 
 from extras.dashboard.forms import DashboardWidgetAddForm, DashboardWidgetForm
-from extras.dashboard.utils import get_widget_class_and_config
 from netbox.registry import registry
 from netbox.views import generic
 from utilities.forms import ConfirmationForm, get_field_value
@@ -725,10 +724,9 @@ class DashboardWidgetConfigView(LoginRequiredMixin, View):
     template_name = 'extras/dashboard/widget_config.html'
 
     def get(self, request, id):
-        id = str(id)
-        widget_class, config = get_widget_class_and_config(request.user.dashboard, id)
-        widget_form = DashboardWidgetForm(initial=config)
-        config_form = widget_class.ConfigForm(initial=config.get('config'), prefix='config')
+        widget = request.user.dashboard.get_widget(id)
+        widget_form = DashboardWidgetForm(initial=widget.form_data)
+        config_form = widget.ConfigForm(initial=widget.form_data.get('config'), prefix='config')
 
         if not is_htmx(request):
             return redirect('home')
@@ -740,15 +738,16 @@ class DashboardWidgetConfigView(LoginRequiredMixin, View):
         })
 
     def post(self, request, id):
-        id = str(id)
-        widget_class, config = get_widget_class_and_config(request.user.dashboard, id)
+        widget = request.user.dashboard.get_widget(id)
         widget_form = DashboardWidgetForm(request.POST)
-        config_form = widget_class.ConfigForm(request.POST, prefix='config')
+        config_form = widget.ConfigForm(request.POST, prefix='config')
 
         if widget_form.is_valid() and config_form.is_valid():
             data = widget_form.cleaned_data
             data['config'] = config_form.cleaned_data
-            request.user.dashboard.config[id].update(data)
+            print(request.user.dashboard.config)
+            print(data)
+            request.user.dashboard.config[str(id)].update(data)
             request.user.dashboard.save()
 
             response = HttpResponse()
@@ -766,15 +765,13 @@ class DashboardWidgetDeleteView(LoginRequiredMixin, View):
     template_name = 'generic/object_delete.html'
 
     def get(self, request, id):
-        id = str(id)
-        widget_class, config = get_widget_class_and_config(request.user.dashboard, id)
-        widget = widget_class(**config)
+        widget = request.user.dashboard.get_widget(id)
         form = ConfirmationForm(initial=request.GET)
 
         # If this is an HTMX request, return only the rendered deletion form as modal content
         if is_htmx(request):
             return render(request, 'htmx/delete_form.html', {
-                'object_type': widget_class.__name__,
+                'object_type': widget.__class__.__name__,
                 'object': widget,
                 'form': form,
                 'form_url': reverse('extras:dashboardwidget_delete', kwargs={'id': id})
@@ -785,7 +782,6 @@ class DashboardWidgetDeleteView(LoginRequiredMixin, View):
         })
 
     def post(self, request, id):
-        id = str(id)
         form = ConfirmationForm(request.POST)
 
         if form.is_valid():
diff --git a/netbox/netbox/views/misc.py b/netbox/netbox/views/misc.py
index d949e3733..c7255916c 100644
--- a/netbox/netbox/views/misc.py
+++ b/netbox/netbox/views/misc.py
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ class HomeView(View):
         if settings.LOGIN_REQUIRED and not request.user.is_authenticated:
             return redirect('login')
 
-        # Build custom dashboard from user's config
-        widgets = get_dashboard(request.user)
+        # Construct the user's custom dashboard layout
+        dashboard = get_dashboard(request.user).get_layout()
 
         # Check whether a new release is available. (Only for staff/superusers.)
         new_release = None
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ class HomeView(View):
                     }
 
         return render(request, self.template_name, {
-            'widgets': widgets,
+            'dashboard': dashboard,
             'new_release': new_release,
         })
 
diff --git a/netbox/templates/home.html b/netbox/templates/home.html
index 08135ea4e..5de4b08c1 100644
--- a/netbox/templates/home.html
+++ b/netbox/templates/home.html
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 {% block content-wrapper %}
   {# Render the user's customized dashboard #}
   <div class="grid-stack">
-    {% for widget in widgets %}
+    {% for widget in dashboard %}
       {% include 'extras/dashboard/widget.html' %}
     {% endfor %}
   </div>