diff --git a/lib/startup/init-position-manager.ts b/lib/startup/init-position-manager.ts
index 6d3eeb2..2040d4f 100644
--- a/lib/startup/init-position-manager.ts
+++ b/lib/startup/init-position-manager.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,29 @@ export async function initializePositionManagerOnStartup() {
   logger.log('🚀 Initializing Position Manager on startup...')
   
   try {
-    // CRITICAL: Run database sync validator FIRST to clean up duplicates
+    // CRITICAL (Dec 5, 2025): Start services FIRST, before validation
+    // Bug fix: validateOpenTrades() returns early if no trades, skipping services
+    // Services must run regardless of open trades count
+    
+    // CRITICAL (Dec 2, 2025): Start data cleanup service for 4-week retention
+    // User directive: "we want to store the data for 4 weeks"
+    // Runs daily at 3 AM to delete MarketData records older than 28 days
+    logger.log('🧹 Starting data cleanup service...')
+    startDataCleanup()
+    
+    // Start blocked signal price tracking
+    logger.log('🔬 Starting blocked signal price tracker...')
+    startBlockedSignalTracking()
+    
+    // Start stop hunt revenge tracker
+    logger.log('🎯 Starting stop hunt revenge tracker...')
+    await startStopHuntTracking()
+    
+    // Start smart entry validation queue (Nov 30, 2025)
+    logger.log('🧠 Starting smart entry validation system...')
+    await startSmartValidation()
+    
+    // CRITICAL: Run database sync validator to clean up duplicates
     const { validateAllOpenTrades } = await import('../database/sync-validator')
     logger.log('🔍 Running database sync validation before Position Manager init...')
     const validationResult = await validateAllOpenTrades()
@@ -52,24 +74,6 @@ export async function initializePositionManagerOnStartup() {
     if (status.activeTradesCount > 0) {
       logger.log(`📊 Monitoring: ${status.symbols.join(', ')}`)
     }
-    
-    // CRITICAL (Dec 2, 2025): Start data cleanup service for 4-week retention
-    // User directive: "we want to store the data for 4 weeks"
-    // Runs daily at 3 AM to delete MarketData records older than 28 days
-    logger.log('🧹 Starting data cleanup service...')
-    startDataCleanup()
-    
-    // Start blocked signal price tracking
-    logger.log('🔬 Starting blocked signal price tracker...')
-    startBlockedSignalTracking()
-    
-    // Start stop hunt revenge tracker
-    logger.log('🎯 Starting stop hunt revenge tracker...')
-    await startStopHuntTracking()
-    
-    // Start smart entry validation queue (Nov 30, 2025)
-    logger.log('🧠 Starting smart entry validation system...')
-    await startSmartValidation()
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('❌ Failed to initialize Position Manager on startup:', error)
   }