diff --git a/src/app/shared/abstract-component-loader/abstract-component-loader.component.html b/src/app/shared/abstract-component-loader/abstract-component-loader.component.html
index 2035dbadd0..281c46b7be 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/abstract-component-loader/abstract-component-loader.component.html
+++ b/src/app/shared/abstract-component-loader/abstract-component-loader.component.html
@@ -1 +1 @@
-<ng-template dsDynamicComponentLoader></ng-template>
+<ng-template #DynamicComponentLoader dsDynamicComponentLoader></ng-template>
diff --git a/src/app/shared/abstract-component-loader/abstract-component-loader.component.ts b/src/app/shared/abstract-component-loader/abstract-component-loader.component.ts
index 76b30fa10b..7a9d82c37c 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/abstract-component-loader/abstract-component-loader.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/abstract-component-loader/abstract-component-loader.component.ts
@@ -19,13 +19,17 @@ import { DynamicComponentLoaderDirective } from './dynamic-component-loader.dire
 @Component({
   selector: 'ds-abstract-component-loader',
   templateUrl: './abstract-component-loader.component.html',
+  standalone: true,
+  imports: [
+    DynamicComponentLoaderDirective,
+  ]
 })
 export abstract class AbstractComponentLoaderComponent<T> implements OnInit, OnChanges, OnDestroy {
 
   /**
    * Directive to determine where the dynamic child component is located
    */
-  @ViewChild(DynamicComponentLoaderDirective, { static: true }) componentDirective: DynamicComponentLoaderDirective;
+  @ViewChild('DynamicComponentLoader', { static: true, read: ViewContainerRef }) componentViewContainerRef: ViewContainerRef;
 
   /**
    * The reference to the dynamic component
@@ -94,7 +98,7 @@ export abstract class AbstractComponentLoaderComponent<T> implements OnInit, OnC
   public instantiateComponent(): void {
     const component: GenericConstructor<T> = this.getComponent();
 
-    const viewContainerRef: ViewContainerRef = this.componentDirective.viewContainerRef;
+    const viewContainerRef: ViewContainerRef = this.componentViewContainerRef;
     viewContainerRef.clear();
 
     this.compRef = viewContainerRef.createComponent(
diff --git a/src/themes/dspace/app/header/header.component.ts b/src/themes/dspace/app/header/header.component.ts
index b6c6e60a6c..2b0f636efc 100644
--- a/src/themes/dspace/app/header/header.component.ts
+++ b/src/themes/dspace/app/header/header.component.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { RouterLink } from '@angular/router';
 import { NgbDropdownModule } from '@ng-bootstrap/ng-bootstrap';
 import { ThemedLangSwitchComponent } from 'src/app/shared/lang-switch/themed-lang-switch.component';
 import { Observable } from 'rxjs';
-import { AsyncPipe } from '@angular/common';
+import { AsyncPipe, NgIf } from '@angular/common';
 
 /**
  * Represents the header with the logo and simple navigation
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import { AsyncPipe } from '@angular/common';
     styleUrls: ['header.component.scss'],
     templateUrl: 'header.component.html',
     standalone: true,
-  imports: [NgbDropdownModule, ThemedLangSwitchComponent, RouterLink, ThemedSearchNavbarComponent, LangSwitchComponent, ContextHelpToggleComponent, ThemedAuthNavMenuComponent, ImpersonateNavbarComponent, ThemedNavbarComponent, TranslateModule, AsyncPipe]
+  imports: [NgbDropdownModule, ThemedLangSwitchComponent, RouterLink, ThemedSearchNavbarComponent, LangSwitchComponent, ContextHelpToggleComponent, ThemedAuthNavMenuComponent, ImpersonateNavbarComponent, ThemedNavbarComponent, TranslateModule, AsyncPipe, NgIf]
 })
 export class HeaderComponent extends BaseComponent implements OnInit {
   public isNavBarCollapsed$: Observable<boolean>;