diff --git a/devplacepy/database.py b/devplacepy/database.py
index bf3b3c3..b7dd3e9 100644
--- a/devplacepy/database.py
+++ b/devplacepy/database.py
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ def init_db():
     _index(db, "follows", "idx_follows_following", ["following_uid"])
     _index(db, "password_resets", "idx_password_resets_token", ["token"])
     _index(db, "gists", "idx_gists_user_uid", ["user_uid"])
+    _index(db, "gists", "idx_gists_language", ["language"])
     _index(db, "attachments", "idx_attachments_resource", ["resource_type", "resource_uid"])
     _index(db, "attachments", "idx_attachments_target", ["target_type", "target_uid"])
 
@@ -319,6 +320,23 @@ def get_site_stats() -> dict:
     return stats
 
 
+_gist_languages_cache = TTLCache(ttl=60)
+
+
+def get_gist_languages() -> set[str]:
+    cached = _gist_languages_cache.get("codes")
+    if cached is not None:
+        return cached
+    codes: set[str] = set()
+    if "gists" in db.tables:
+        for row in db.query("SELECT DISTINCT language FROM gists"):
+            language = row.get("language")
+            if language:
+                codes.add(language)
+    _gist_languages_cache.set("codes", codes)
+    return codes
+
+
 def resolve_by_slug(table, slug):
     entry = table.find_one(slug=slug)
     if not entry:
diff --git a/devplacepy/routers/gists.py b/devplacepy/routers/gists.py
index 61c1eea..4eec2b7 100644
--- a/devplacepy/routers/gists.py
+++ b/devplacepy/routers/gists.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from fastapi import APIRouter, Request, HTTPException, Form
 from devplacepy.models import GistForm, GistEditForm
 from fastapi.responses import HTMLResponse, RedirectResponse
-from devplacepy.database import get_table, get_users_by_uids
+from devplacepy.database import get_table, get_users_by_uids, get_gist_languages
 from devplacepy.content import load_detail, edit_content_item, delete_content_item, enrich_items
 from devplacepy.templating import templates
 from devplacepy.utils import generate_uid, get_current_user, require_user, make_combined_slug, create_mention_notifications
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ async def gists_page(request: Request, language: str = None, user_uid: str = Non
         "total_count": total_count,
         "current_language": language,
         "languages": LANGUAGES,
+        "gist_language_codes": get_gist_languages(),
     })
 
 
diff --git a/devplacepy/templates/gists.html b/devplacepy/templates/gists.html
index 3951441..983160f 100644
--- a/devplacepy/templates/gists.html
+++ b/devplacepy/templates/gists.html
@@ -15,15 +15,17 @@
                 <span class="icon">&#x1F4CB;</span>All
             </a>
             {% for code, name in languages %}
-            {% if code != 'plaintext' %}
+            {% if code != 'plaintext' and code in gist_language_codes %}
             <a href="/gists?language={{ code }}" class="sidebar-link {% if current_language == code %}active{% endif %}">
                 <span class="icon">&#x1F4DD;</span>{{ name }}
             </a>
             {% endif %}
             {% endfor %}
+            {% if 'plaintext' in gist_language_codes %}
             <a href="/gists?language=plaintext" class="sidebar-link {% if current_language == 'plaintext' %}active{% endif %}">
                 <span class="icon">&#x1F4DD;</span>Plain Text
             </a>
+            {% endif %}
         </div>
 
         {% if user %}