diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index 7892297..bd5d564 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -814,6 +814,33 @@ func (a *App) startup(ctx context.Context) {
 	a.lookup = lookup.NewManager(a.cache)
 	a.reloadLookupProviders()
 
+	// CAT manager: emit pushes state to the frontend via Wails events, and
+	// forwards frequency/mode to any outbound UDP emitters (PstRotator, N1MM).
+	// Started HERE — before the (possibly slow, remote) MySQL logbook connect
+	// below — because the rig link only needs the local settings, and blocking it
+	// behind a 10–30s MySQL dial made the FlexRadio (and every CAT backend) take
+	// that long to come up at launch.
+	a.cat = cat.NewManager(func(s cat.RigState) {
+		// DIAGNOSTIC: the manager only fires this on a USER-relevant change, so a
+		// burst of these lines = the frontend is being re-rendered rapidly (the
+		// "screen flickers" symptom). Shows WHAT is churning — connection flap,
+		// or freq/split/mode oscillating between slices during FT8.
+		applog.Printf("cat:state → connected=%v freq=%d rx=%d split=%v mode=%s band=%s",
+			s.Connected, s.FreqHz, s.RxFreqHz, s.Split, s.Mode, s.Band)
+		if a.ctx != nil {
+			wruntime.EventsEmit(a.ctx, "cat:state", s)
+		}
+		a.emitRadioUDP(s)
+		// Drive station relays by the current frequency/band (PstRotator-style
+		// automatic control). Cheap cached-flag check keeps this a no-op when the
+		// feature is off; when on, run off this callback so a slow relay board never
+		// stalls rig-state processing.
+		if a.relayAutoOn.Load() {
+			go a.applyRelayAuto(s.FreqHz, s.Band)
+		}
+	})
+	a.reloadCAT()
+
 	// The QSO logbook lives where the ACTIVE PROFILE points it: the local SQLite
 	// file, or a per-profile shared MySQL database. Switching profiles switches
 	// the logbook (see switchLogbook). One-time: adopt any legacy config.json
@@ -908,28 +935,6 @@ func (a *App) startup(ctx context.Context) {
 			fmt.Printf("OpsLog: clublog cty.xml loaded — %d exceptions (%s)\n", n, d)
 		}
 	}()
-	// CAT manager: emit pushes state to the frontend via Wails events, and
-	// forwards frequency/mode to any outbound UDP emitters (PstRotator, N1MM).
-	a.cat = cat.NewManager(func(s cat.RigState) {
-		// DIAGNOSTIC: the manager only fires this on a USER-relevant change, so a
-		// burst of these lines = the frontend is being re-rendered rapidly (the
-		// "screen flickers" symptom). Shows WHAT is churning — connection flap,
-		// or freq/split/mode oscillating between slices during FT8.
-		applog.Printf("cat:state → connected=%v freq=%d rx=%d split=%v mode=%s band=%s",
-			s.Connected, s.FreqHz, s.RxFreqHz, s.Split, s.Mode, s.Band)
-		if a.ctx != nil {
-			wruntime.EventsEmit(a.ctx, "cat:state", s)
-		}
-		a.emitRadioUDP(s)
-		// Drive station relays by the current frequency/band (PstRotator-style
-		// automatic control). Cheap cached-flag check keeps this a no-op when the
-		// feature is off; when on, run off this callback so a slow relay board never
-		// stalls rig-state processing.
-		if a.relayAutoOn.Load() {
-			go a.applyRelayAuto(s.FreqHz, s.Band)
-		}
-	})
-	a.reloadCAT()
 
 	// POTA: background poller of api.pota.app so cluster spots can be tagged
 	// when the DX station is currently activating a park. Best-effort.