diff --git a/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/dashboard/DashFavoritesFragment.java b/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/dashboard/DashFavoritesFragment.java
index 6631d6eff98..560a2c31fe2 100644
--- a/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/dashboard/DashFavoritesFragment.java
+++ b/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/dashboard/DashFavoritesFragment.java
@@ -67,9 +67,8 @@ public View initView(LayoutInflater inflater, @Nullable ViewGroup container, @Nu
 	@Override
 	public void onOpenDash() {
 		FavouritesHelper helper = getMyApplication().getFavoritesHelper();
-		if (helper.isFavoritesLoaded()) {
-			setupFavorites();
-		} else {
+		setupFavorites();
+		if (!helper.isFavoritesLoaded()) {
 			helper.addListener(favoritesListener = new FavoritesListener() {
 				@Override
 				public void onFavoritesLoaded() {
diff --git a/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/mapcontextmenu/other/SelectFavouriteBottomSheet.java b/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/mapcontextmenu/other/SelectFavouriteBottomSheet.java
index 777c428616c..3294921c5ce 100644
--- a/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/mapcontextmenu/other/SelectFavouriteBottomSheet.java
+++ b/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/mapcontextmenu/other/SelectFavouriteBottomSheet.java
@@ -71,9 +71,8 @@ public void createMenuItems(@Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
 		}
 		mAdapter = new FavouritesAdapter(requireContext(), mPoints);
 		mFavouritesHelper = app.getFavoritesHelper();
-		if (mFavouritesHelper.isFavoritesLoaded()) {
-			loadFavorites();
-		} else {
+		loadFavorites();
+		if (!mFavouritesHelper.isFavoritesLoaded()) {
 			mFavouritesHelper.addListener(getFavouritesListener());
 		}
 		rvPoints = new RecyclerView(getContext());
diff --git a/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/myplaces/favorites/FavouritesHelper.java b/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/myplaces/favorites/FavouritesHelper.java
index c96ac599002..37419dd57b0 100644
--- a/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/myplaces/favorites/FavouritesHelper.java
+++ b/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/myplaces/favorites/FavouritesHelper.java
@@ -121,6 +121,13 @@ public void loadFavorites() {
 
 		boolean changed = merge(extGroups, groups);
 
+		// Fix issue #20957
+		// Prevent the loss of favorites and groups added when loading favorites from file
+		if (!Algorithms.isEmpty(flatGroups)) {
+			merge(flatGroups, groups);
+			changed = true;
+		}
+
 		flatGroups = groups;
 		favoriteGroups = new ArrayList<>(groups.values());
 
@@ -131,7 +138,7 @@ public void loadFavorites() {
 		// Force save favorites to file if internals are different from externals
 		// or no favorites created yet or legacy favourites.gpx present
 		if (changed || !fileHelper.getExternalDir().exists() || legacyExternalFile.exists()) {
-			saveCurrentPointsIntoFile(false);
+			forceSaveCurrentPointsIntoFile();
 			// Delete legacy favourites.gpx if exists
 			if (legacyExternalFile.exists()) {
 				legacyExternalFile.delete();
@@ -207,7 +214,8 @@ public void removeListener(@NonNull FavoritesListener listener) {
 		listeners.remove(listener);
 	}
 
-	private boolean merge(Map<String, FavoriteGroup> source, Map<String, FavoriteGroup> destination) {
+	private boolean merge(@NonNull Map<String, FavoriteGroup> source,
+	                      @NonNull Map<String, FavoriteGroup> destination) {
 		boolean changed = false;
 		for (Map.Entry<String, FavoriteGroup> entry : source.entrySet()) {
 			String key = entry.getKey();
@@ -481,10 +489,19 @@ private boolean editFavourite(@NonNull FavouritePoint point, double lat, double
 	}
 
 	public void saveCurrentPointsIntoFile(boolean async) {
+		saveCurrentPointsIntoFileImpl(false, async);
+	}
+
+	private void forceSaveCurrentPointsIntoFile() {
+		saveCurrentPointsIntoFileImpl(true, false);
+	}
+
+	private void saveCurrentPointsIntoFileImpl(boolean force, boolean async) {
 		updateLastModifiedTime();
-		SaveFavoritesListener listener = this::onFavouritePropertiesUpdated;
+		if (!force && !isFavoritesLoaded()) return;
 
 		List<FavoriteGroup> groups = new ArrayList<>(favoriteGroups);
+		SaveFavoritesListener listener = this::onFavouritePropertiesUpdated;
 		if (async) {
 			fileHelper.saveFavoritesIntoFile(groups, listener);
 		} else {
diff --git a/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/myplaces/favorites/dialogs/FavoritesTreeFragment.java b/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/myplaces/favorites/dialogs/FavoritesTreeFragment.java
index a9d9249409f..21cc073c370 100644
--- a/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/myplaces/favorites/dialogs/FavoritesTreeFragment.java
+++ b/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/myplaces/favorites/dialogs/FavoritesTreeFragment.java
@@ -113,11 +113,10 @@ public void onCreate(@Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
 		super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
 		adapter = new FavouritesAdapter(requireActivity());
 		importHelper = app.getImportHelper();
-
 		helper = app.getFavoritesHelper();
-		if (helper.isFavoritesLoaded()) {
-			adapter.synchronizeGroups();
-		} else {
+
+		adapter.synchronizeGroups();
+		if (!helper.isFavoritesLoaded()) {
 			helper.addListener(favoritesListener = new FavoritesListener() {
 				@Override
 				public void onFavoritesLoaded() {
diff --git a/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/routepreparationmenu/AddPointBottomSheetDialog.java b/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/routepreparationmenu/AddPointBottomSheetDialog.java
index 5a961186133..0402a28bfd7 100644
--- a/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/routepreparationmenu/AddPointBottomSheetDialog.java
+++ b/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/routepreparationmenu/AddPointBottomSheetDialog.java
@@ -382,9 +382,8 @@ private void createFavoritesScrollItem() {
 			FavoritesItemsAdapter adapter = new FavoritesItemsAdapter(app, items);
 			adapter.setItemClickListener(getAdapterOnClickListener(items));
 			FavouritesHelper helper = app.getFavoritesHelper();
-			if (helper.isFavoritesLoaded()) {
-				loadFavoritesItems(items, helper);
-			} else {
+			loadFavoritesItems(items, helper);
+			if (!helper.isFavoritesLoaded()) {
 				addMainScrollItems(items);
 				helper.addListener(new FavoritesListener() {
 
diff --git a/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/views/layers/FavouritesLayer.java b/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/views/layers/FavouritesLayer.java
index 35b3e1ea139..4e2ce2ccecc 100644
--- a/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/views/layers/FavouritesLayer.java
+++ b/OsmAnd/src/net/osmand/plus/views/layers/FavouritesLayer.java
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ public void onPrepareBufferImage(Canvas canvas, RotatedTileBox tileBox, DrawSett
 			}
 		} else {
 			cache.clear();
-			if (showFavorites && favouritesHelper.isFavoritesLoaded()) {
+			if (showFavorites) {
 				if (tileBox.getZoom() >= START_ZOOM || customObjectsDelegate != null) {
 					float iconSize = getIconSize(view.getApplication());
 					QuadTree<QuadRect> boundIntersections = initBoundIntersections(tileBox);
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ public synchronized void showFavorites() {
 			List<FavouritePoint> points = customObjectsDelegate.getMapObjects();
 			showFavoritePoints(textScale, false, points);
 			favoritesMapLayerProvider.drawSymbols(mapRenderer);
-		} else if (settings.SHOW_FAVORITES.get() && favouritesHelper.isFavoritesLoaded()) {
+		} else if (settings.SHOW_FAVORITES.get()) {
 			for (FavoriteGroup group : getFavoriteGroups()) {
 				boolean synced = isSynced(group);
 				List<FavouritePoint> points = new ArrayList<>(group.getPoints());