diff --git a/MosswartMassacre/PluginCore.cs b/MosswartMassacre/PluginCore.cs
index 746c81d..9149b60 100644
--- a/MosswartMassacre/PluginCore.cs
+++ b/MosswartMassacre/PluginCore.cs
@@ -154,30 +154,10 @@ namespace MosswartMassacre
                     MyHost = null;
                 }
                 
-                // Check if this is a hot reload
+                // Check if this is a hot reload (flag for post-init handling)
                 var isCharacterLoaded = CoreManager.Current.CharacterFilter.LoginStatus == 3;
-                if (IsHotReload || isCharacterLoaded)
-                {
-                    // Hot reload detected - reinitialize connections and state
-                    WriteToChat("[INFO] Hot reload detected - reinitializing plugin");
-                    
-                    // Reload settings if character is already logged in
-                    if (isCharacterLoaded)
-                    {
-                        try
-                        {
-                            WriteToChat("Hot reload - reinitializing character-dependent systems");
-                            // Don't call LoginComplete - create hot reload specific initialization
-                            InitializeForHotReload();
-                            WriteToChat("[INFO] Hot reload initialization complete");
-                        }
-                        catch (Exception ex)
-                        {
-                            WriteToChat($"[ERROR] Hot reload initialization failed: {ex.Message}");
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
-                
+                var needsHotReload = IsHotReload || isCharacterLoaded;
+
                 // Initialize kill tracker (owns the 1-sec stats timer)
                 _killTracker = new KillTracker(
                     this,
@@ -260,6 +240,21 @@ namespace MosswartMassacre
                 // Note: DECAL Harmony patches will be initialized in LoginComplete event
                 // where the chat system is available for error messages
 
+                // Hot reload: run after all core objects are initialized
+                if (needsHotReload && isCharacterLoaded)
+                {
+                    try
+                    {
+                        WriteToChat("[INFO] Hot reload detected - reinitializing plugin");
+                        InitializeForHotReload();
+                        WriteToChat("[INFO] Hot reload initialization complete");
+                    }
+                    catch (Exception ex)
+                    {
+                        WriteToChat($"[ERROR] Hot reload initialization failed: {ex.Message}");
+                    }
+                }
+
             }
             catch (Exception ex)
             {
diff --git a/MosswartMassacre/bin/Release/MosswartMassacre.dll b/MosswartMassacre/bin/Release/MosswartMassacre.dll
index cbffd58..d1ee6a9 100644
Binary files a/MosswartMassacre/bin/Release/MosswartMassacre.dll and b/MosswartMassacre/bin/Release/MosswartMassacre.dll differ