diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index c11a9cf..56c69e5 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -1021,6 +1021,13 @@ func (a *App) startup(ctx context.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 	a.dataDir = dataDir
+	// The watchlist needs nothing but its file, so it opens FIRST. It used to be
+	// created after the logbook connect, and a remote MySQL dial of 10-30 s left
+	// the tab saying "Watchlist: 0" until the next refresh tick — twenty seconds
+	// of an empty list for a JSON file that reads in a millisecond. (The
+	// auto-contest pattern still loads later, once the settings store is open.)
+	a.watchlist = watchlist.New(filepath.Join(dataDir, "watchlist.json"))
+	a.watchAlertAt = map[string]time.Time{}
 	// Settings/config database (settings + profiles). Fresh installs use
 	// settings.db; existing installs keep their opslog.db (which also held the
 	// QSOs before they were split into a dedicated logbook file — see below).
@@ -1391,8 +1398,6 @@ func (a *App) startup(ctx context.Context) {
 	// POTA: background poller of api.pota.app so cluster spots can be tagged
 	// when the DX station is currently activating a park. Best-effort.
 	a.pota = pota.New(func(format string, args ...any) { applog.Printf(format, args...) })
-	a.watchlist = watchlist.New(filepath.Join(a.dataDir, "watchlist.json"))
-	a.watchAlertAt = map[string]time.Time{}
 	a.watchPattern.Store(strings.ToUpper(strings.TrimSpace(a.settingOr(keyWatchlistContestPattern, ""))))
 	go a.pota.Run(a.ctx)