fix:

- Run PackerSync instead of PackerInstall on first launch
  - Do not try to call Dashboard on first launch

init.lua

@@ -36,9 +36,16 @@ async = vim.loop.new_async(vim.schedule_wrap(function()
 		-- Load Doom core
 		require('doom.core')
 
-		-- If the current buffer name is empty then trigger Dashboard
-		if vim.api.nvim_buf_get_name(0):len() == 0 then
-			vim.cmd('Dashboard')
+		-- If the dashboard plugin is already installed and the packer_compiled.lua
+		-- file exists so we can make sure that the dashboard have been loaded
+		local compiled_plugins_path = vim.fn.expand(
+			'$HOME/.config/doom-nvim/plugin/packer_compiled.lua'
+		)
+		if vim.fn.filereadable(compiled_plugins_path) > 0 then
+			-- If the current buffer name is empty then trigger Dashboard
+			if vim.api.nvim_buf_get_name(0):len() == 0 then
+				vim.cmd('Dashboard')
+			end
 		end
 
 		vim.opt.shadafile = ''

lua/doom/core/autocmds/init.lua

@@ -47,7 +47,24 @@ end
 -- Install plugins on launch
 if Doom.auto_install_plugins then
 	vim.defer_fn(function()
-		vim.cmd('PackerInstall')
+		-- Check if there is only packer installed so we can decide if we should
+		-- use PackerInstall or PackerSync, useful for generating the
+		-- `plugin/packer_compiled.lua` on first doom launch
+		if
+			vim.tbl_count(
+				vim.fn.globpath(
+					vim.fn.stdpath('data') .. '/site/pack/packer/opt',
+					'*',
+					0,
+					1
+				)
+			) == 1
+		then
+			vim.cmd('PackerSync')
+		else
+			-- Install the plugins
+			vim.cmd('PackerInstall')
+		end
 	end, 200)
 end