diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/models/user_configuration.rb b/apps/dashboard/app/models/user_configuration.rb
index be74c9c368..16abc7182a 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/models/user_configuration.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/models/user_configuration.rb
@@ -122,14 +122,17 @@ def announcement_path
     end
   end
 
+  CATEGORIES = ["Apps", "Files", "Jobs", "Clusters", "Interactive Apps"].freeze
+  CATEGORIES_WHITELIST = false
+  
   # Filtering is controlled with NavConfig.categories_allowlist? unless the configuration property categories is defined.
   # If categories are defined, filter_nav_categories? will always be true.
   def filter_nav_categories?
-    fetch(:nav_categories, nil).nil? ? NavConfig.categories_whitelist? : true
+    fetch(:nav_categories, nil).nil? ? CATEGORIES_WHITELIST : true
   end
 
   def nav_categories
-    fetch(:nav_categories, nil) || NavConfig.categories
+    fetch(:nav_categories, nil) || CATEGORIES
   end
 
   # Create support ticket service class based on the configuration
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/test/integration/dashboard_controller_test.rb b/apps/dashboard/test/integration/dashboard_controller_test.rb
index e5289701cd..e6e3301c51 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/test/integration/dashboard_controller_test.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/test/integration/dashboard_controller_test.rb
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ def teardown
     assert_response :success
     assert_select "nav a[href='#{batch_connect_sessions_path}']", 0
   end
-
+=begin
   test 'should not create app menus if NavConfig.categories is empty and whitelist is enabled' do
     SysRouter.stubs(:base_path).returns(Rails.root.join('test/fixtures/sys_with_gateway_apps'))
     OodAppkit.stubs(:clusters).returns(OodCore::Clusters.load_file('test/fixtures/config/clusters.d'))
@@ -159,7 +159,8 @@ def teardown
     assert_select dropdown_links, 1 # +1 here is 'Help'
     assert_select dropdown_link(1), text: 'Help' # ensure is Help
   end
-
+=end
+=begin
   test 'should exclude gateway apps if NavConfig.categories is set to default and whitelist is enabled' do
     SysRouter.stubs(:base_path).returns(Rails.root.join('test/fixtures/sys_with_gateway_apps'))
     OodAppkit.stubs(:clusters).returns(OodCore::Clusters.load_file('test/fixtures/config/clusters.d'))
@@ -175,7 +176,8 @@ def teardown
     assert_select  dropdown_link(4), text: 'Interactive Apps'
     assert_select  dropdown_link(5), text: 'Help'
   end
-
+=end
+=begin
   test 'uses NavConfig.categories as sort order if whitelist is false' do
     SysRouter.stubs(:base_path).returns(Rails.root.join('test/fixtures/sys_with_gateway_apps'))
     OodAppkit.stubs(:clusters).returns(OodCore::Clusters.load_file('test/fixtures/config/clusters.d'))
@@ -191,12 +193,11 @@ def teardown
     assert_select  dropdown_link(4), text: 'Clusters'
     assert_select  dropdown_link(5), text: 'Gateway Apps'
   end
+=end
 
-  test 'UserConfiguration.categories should filter and order the navigation and have precedence over NavConfig' do
+  test 'UserConfiguration.categories should filter and order the navigation' do
     SysRouter.stubs(:base_path).returns(Rails.root.join('test/fixtures/sys_with_gateway_apps'))
     OodAppkit.stubs(:clusters).returns(OodCore::Clusters.load_file('test/fixtures/config/clusters.d'))
-    NavConfig.stubs(:categories_whitelist?).returns(false)
-    NavConfig.stubs(:categories).returns(['Jobs', 'Interactive Apps', 'Files', 'Clusters'])
 
     stub_user_configuration({
                               nav_categories: ['Files', 'Interactive Apps', 'Clusters']
@@ -213,8 +214,6 @@ def teardown
   test 'should not create app menus if UserConfiguration.categories is empty' do
     SysRouter.stubs(:base_path).returns(Rails.root.join('test/fixtures/sys_with_gateway_apps'))
     OodAppkit.stubs(:clusters).returns(OodCore::Clusters.load_file('test/fixtures/config/clusters.d'))
-    NavConfig.stubs(:categories_whitelist?).returns(false)
-    NavConfig.stubs(:categories).returns(['Jobs', 'Interactive Apps', 'Files', 'Clusters'])
 
     stub_user_configuration({
                               nav_categories: []
@@ -225,12 +224,13 @@ def teardown
     assert_select dropdown_links, 1 # +1 here is 'Help'
     assert_select dropdown_link(1), text: 'Help' # ensure is Help
   end
-
+=begin
   test 'verify default values for NavConfig' do
     refute NavConfig.categories_whitelist?
     assert NavConfig
   end
-
+=end
+=begin
   test 'display all app menus in alphabetical order if NavConfig.whitelist false & NavConfig.categories nil or []' do
     SysRouter.stubs(:base_path).returns(Rails.root.join('test/fixtures/sys_with_gateway_apps'))
     OodAppkit.stubs(:clusters).returns(OodCore::Clusters.load_file('test/fixtures/config/clusters.d'))
@@ -247,11 +247,11 @@ def teardown
     assert_select dropdown_link(4), text: 'Interactive Apps'
     assert_select dropdown_link(5), text: 'Jobs'
   end
+=end
 
   test 'apps with no category should not appear in menu' do
     SysRouter.stubs(:base_path).returns(Rails.root.join('test/fixtures/sys_with_gateway_apps'))
     OodAppkit.stubs(:clusters).returns(OodCore::Clusters.load_file('test/fixtures/config/clusters.d'))
-    NavConfig.stubs(:categories_whitelist?).returns(false)
 
     get root_path