diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index b6be8b8fe..ac3db06ac 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 			"dependencies": {
 				"@stripe/stripe-js": "^1.24.0",
 				"classnames": "^2.3.1",
+				"lodash": "^4.17.21",
 				"newspack-components": "^2.0.3",
 				"react": "^17.0.2",
 				"redux": "^4.1.2",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 229e77474..ff2ed7b2d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 	"dependencies": {
 		"@stripe/stripe-js": "^1.24.0",
 		"classnames": "^2.3.1",
+		"lodash": "^4.17.21",
 		"newspack-components": "^2.0.3",
 		"react": "^17.0.2",
 		"redux": "^4.1.2",
diff --git a/src/blocks/homepage-articles/store.js b/src/blocks/homepage-articles/store.js
index b71a4c101..2d22a8e29 100644
--- a/src/blocks/homepage-articles/store.js
+++ b/src/blocks/homepage-articles/store.js
@@ -125,7 +125,17 @@ const createFetchPostsSaga = blockNames => {
 
 		yield put( { type: 'DISABLE_UI' } );
 
-		const blockQueries = getBlockQueries( getBlocks(), blockNames );
+		// Ensure innerBlocks are populated for widget area blocks.
+		// See https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/32607#issuecomment-890728216.
+		const blocks = getBlocks().map( block => {
+			const innerBlocks = select( 'core/block-editor' ).getBlocks( block.clientId );
+			return {
+				...block,
+				innerBlocks,
+			};
+		} );
+
+		const blockQueries = getBlockQueries( blocks, blockNames );
 
 		// Use requested specific posts ids as the starting state of exclusion list.
 		const specificPostsId = blockQueries.reduce( ( acc, { postsQuery } ) => {
diff --git a/src/blocks/homepage-articles/utils.js b/src/blocks/homepage-articles/utils.js
index 345cd2099..35e018af7 100644
--- a/src/blocks/homepage-articles/utils.js
+++ b/src/blocks/homepage-articles/utils.js
@@ -173,7 +173,8 @@ export const postsBlockSelector = ( select, { clientId, attributes } ) => {
 	const { getBlocks } = select( 'core/block-editor' );
 	const editorBlocksIds = getEditorBlocksIds( getEditorBlocks() );
 	// The block might be rendered in the block styles preview, not in the editor.
-	const isEditorBlock = editorBlocksIds.indexOf( clientId ) >= 0;
+	const isWidgetEditor = getBlocks().some( block => block.name === 'core/widget-area' );
+	const isEditorBlock = editorBlocksIds.indexOf( clientId ) >= 0 || isWidgetEditor;
 
 	const { getPosts, getError, isUIDisabled } = select( STORE_NAMESPACE );
 	const props = {