diff --git a/lib/simple-automation.js b/lib/simple-automation.js
index 37efc2f..9576758 100644
--- a/lib/simple-automation.js
+++ b/lib/simple-automation.js
@@ -726,7 +726,22 @@ class SimpleAutomation {
         console.log('✅ DCA cooldown passed - executing POSITION SCALING DCA...');
         
         // Check if analysis direction matches existing position
-        const analysisDirection = side.toLowerCase();
+        const recommendation = analysis.recommendation?.toLowerCase() || '';
+        let analysisDirection = '';
+        
+        if (recommendation.includes('buy')) {
+          analysisDirection = 'buy';
+        } else if (recommendation.includes('sell')) {
+          analysisDirection = 'sell';
+        } else {
+          return { 
+            success: false, 
+            error: `Invalid recommendation for DCA: ${recommendation}`,
+            existingPosition: currentPosition,
+            suggestedAction: 'Cannot determine direction from analysis'
+          };
+        }
+        
         const positionDirection = currentPosition.side.toLowerCase();
         
         if (analysisDirection === 'buy' && positionDirection === 'long') {
@@ -759,6 +774,14 @@ class SimpleAutomation {
         console.log('❌ TRADE SKIP: Invalid recommendation - ' + recommendation);
         return { success: false, error: 'Invalid recommendation: ' + recommendation };
       }
+      
+      console.log(`🔧 DEBUG: Side variable initialized as: "${side}" from recommendation: "${recommendation}"`);
+      
+      // Validate side is properly set
+      if (!side || (side !== 'BUY' && side !== 'SELL')) {
+        console.log('❌ TRADE ERROR: Side variable not properly initialized');
+        return { success: false, error: 'Side variable initialization error' };
+      }
 
       // Extract stop loss and take profit from analysis
       let stopLoss = null;
@@ -858,6 +881,7 @@ class SimpleAutomation {
           }
           
           console.log(`🧮 Calculating optimal leverage: Entry=$${currentPrice}, StopLoss=$${stopLoss}`);
+          console.log(`🔧 DEBUG: Side variable before leverage calc: "${side}"`);
           
           const leverageCalcResult = AILeverageCalculator.calculateOptimalLeverage({
             accountValue,