diff --git a/bot.py b/bot.py
index 241d5ea..4ae111c 100644
--- a/bot.py
+++ b/bot.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from services import (
     place_order,
     market_open,
     positions_snapshot,
+    account_snapshot,
     qdrant_similar,
     qdrant_add_memory,
     trilium_log,
@@ -43,6 +44,12 @@ def curate_cycle():
 def run_cycle():
     db = SessionLocal()
     try:
+        acct = account_snapshot()
+        # If paper credentials are invalid/missing, avoid flooding failed decisions.
+        if settings.paper_mode and not acct.get('id'):
+            trilium_log('Bot paused: paper auth invalid', 'Paper mode enabled but Alpaca paper account auth failed. Skipping run_cycle to avoid false failures.')
+            return
+
         if not market_open() and not (settings.paper_mode and settings.force_paper_trades):
             return
         spent = _daily_spent(db)
@@ -149,9 +156,36 @@ def run_cycle():
 
 
 def start_scheduler():
-    scheduler.add_job(curate_cycle, "interval", minutes=settings.curate_interval_minutes, id="curate_cycle", replace_existing=True)
+    scheduler.add_job(
+        curate_cycle,
+        "interval",
+        minutes=settings.curate_interval_minutes,
+        id="curate_cycle",
+        replace_existing=True,
+        coalesce=True,
+        max_instances=1,
+        misfire_grace_time=120,
+    )
     if settings.trade_interval_minutes and settings.trade_interval_minutes > 0:
-        scheduler.add_job(run_cycle, "interval", minutes=settings.trade_interval_minutes, id="trade_cycle", replace_existing=True)
+        scheduler.add_job(
+            run_cycle,
+            "interval",
+            minutes=settings.trade_interval_minutes,
+            id="trade_cycle",
+            replace_existing=True,
+            coalesce=True,
+            max_instances=1,
+            misfire_grace_time=120,
+        )
     else:
-        scheduler.add_job(run_cycle, "interval", hours=settings.trade_interval_hours, id="trade_cycle", replace_existing=True)
+        scheduler.add_job(
+            run_cycle,
+            "interval",
+            hours=settings.trade_interval_hours,
+            id="trade_cycle",
+            replace_existing=True,
+            coalesce=True,
+            max_instances=1,
+            misfire_grace_time=120,
+        )
     scheduler.start()