diff --git a/src/services/lnd/liquidityProvider.ts b/src/services/lnd/liquidityProvider.ts
index 483b9368..78594c20 100644
--- a/src/services/lnd/liquidityProvider.ts
+++ b/src/services/lnd/liquidityProvider.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export class LiquidityProvider {
     invoicePaidCb: InvoicePaidCb
     connecting = false
     readyInterval: NodeJS.Timeout
-    queue: ((usable: boolean) => void)[] = []
+    queue: ((state: 'ready') => void)[] = []
     // make the sub process accept client
     constructor(pubDestination: string, invoicePaidCb: InvoicePaidCb) {
         if (!pubDestination) {
@@ -51,14 +51,14 @@ export class LiquidityProvider {
         return this.pubDestination
     }
 
-    AwaitProviderReady = async (): Promise<boolean> => {
+    AwaitProviderReady = async (): Promise<'inactive' | 'ready'> => {
         if (!this.pubDestination) {
-            return false
+            return 'inactive'
         }
         if (this.latestMaxWithdrawable !== null) {
-            return true
+            return 'ready'
         }
-        return new Promise<boolean>(res => {
+        return new Promise<'ready'>(res => {
             this.queue.push(res)
         })
     }
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ export class LiquidityProvider {
         if (this.latestMaxWithdrawable === null) {
             return
         }
-        this.queue.forEach(q => q(true))
+        this.queue.forEach(q => q('ready'))
         this.log("subbing to user operations")
         this.client.GetLiveUserOperations(res => {
             console.log("got user operation", res)
diff --git a/src/services/main/watchdog.ts b/src/services/main/watchdog.ts
index 07605a75..963a56e9 100644
--- a/src/services/main/watchdog.ts
+++ b/src/services/main/watchdog.ts
@@ -41,11 +41,27 @@ export class Watchdog {
             clearInterval(this.interval)
         }
     }
-
     Start = async () => {
+        const result = await Promise.race([
+            this.liquidProvider.AwaitProviderReady(),
+            new Promise<'failed'>((res, rej) => {
+                setTimeout(() => {
+                    this.log("Provider did not become ready in time, starting without it")
+                    res('failed')
+                }, 5000)
+            })
+        ])
+
+        let providerBalance = 0
+        if (result === 'ready') {
+            providerBalance = await this.liquidProvider.GetLatestBalance()
+        }
+        await this.StartWatching(providerBalance)
+    }
+    StartWatching = async (providerBalance: number) => {
         this.startedAtUnix = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000)
         const totalUsersBalance = await this.storage.paymentStorage.GetTotalUsersBalance()
-        this.initialLndBalance = await this.getTotalLndBalance(totalUsersBalance)
+        this.initialLndBalance = await this.getTotalLndBalance(totalUsersBalance, providerBalance)
         this.initialUsersBalance = totalUsersBalance
         const fwEvents = await this.lnd.GetForwardingHistory(0, this.startedAtUnix)
         this.latestIndexOffset = fwEvents.lastOffsetIndex
@@ -72,14 +88,13 @@ export class Watchdog {
 
 
 
-    getTotalLndBalance = async (usersTotal: number) => {
+    getTotalLndBalance = async (usersTotal: number, providerBalance: number) => {
         const walletBalance = await this.lnd.GetWalletBalance()
         this.log(Number(walletBalance.confirmedBalance), "sats in chain wallet")
         const channelsBalance = await this.lnd.GetChannelBalance()
         getLogger({ component: "debugLndBalancev3" })({ w: walletBalance, c: channelsBalance, u: usersTotal, f: this.accumulatedHtlcFees })
         const totalLightningBalanceMsats = (channelsBalance.localBalance?.msat || 0n) + (channelsBalance.unsettledLocalBalance?.msat || 0n)
         const totalLightningBalance = Math.ceil(Number(totalLightningBalanceMsats) / 1000)
-        const providerBalance = await this.liquidProvider.GetLatestBalance()
         return Number(walletBalance.confirmedBalance) + totalLightningBalance + providerBalance
     }
 
@@ -138,7 +153,8 @@ export class Watchdog {
         this.latestCheckStart = Date.now()
         await this.updateAccumulatedHtlcFees()
         const totalUsersBalance = await this.storage.paymentStorage.GetTotalUsersBalance()
-        const totalLndBalance = await this.getTotalLndBalance(totalUsersBalance)
+        const providerBalance = await this.liquidProvider.GetLatestBalance()
+        const totalLndBalance = await this.getTotalLndBalance(totalUsersBalance, providerBalance)
         const deltaLnd = totalLndBalance - (this.initialLndBalance + this.accumulatedHtlcFees)
         const deltaUsers = totalUsersBalance - this.initialUsersBalance
         const deny = this.checkBalanceUpdate(deltaLnd, deltaUsers)