diff --git a/mt5_parser.py b/mt5_parser.py
index 445af57..d2fc188 100644
--- a/mt5_parser.py
+++ b/mt5_parser.py
@@ -9,9 +9,13 @@ Parsers for three MT5 trade report formats:
 All normalise to a common DataFrame schema.
 """
 
+from curses import raw
+
 import pandas as pd
 import re
 
+from streamlit import text
+
 
 # ── Common schema ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 # open_time, close_time, symbol, type, volume, open_price, close_price,
@@ -398,19 +402,22 @@ def detect_and_parse(file_bytes, filename=''):
     Returns (df, format_name) or (None, None).
     """
     fname = filename.lower()
-    # Derive a fallback strategy name from the filename for files where
-    # all comments are MT5 close-reason tags (sl/tp/so) and no strategy
-    # name is embedded in the comment field.
     fallback = _strategy_from_filename(filename) if filename else None
 
     if fname.endswith('.csv'):
         df = parse_quant_csv(file_bytes, fallback_strategy=fallback)
         return df, 'Quant Analyzer CSV'
 
-    # HTML/HTM — detect backtest vs real account
-    try:
-        text = _decode(file_bytes)
-    except:
+    # HTML/HTM — decode with UTF-16 support first
+    text = None
+    for enc in ['utf-16', 'utf-8', 'latin-1']:
+        try:
+            text = file_bytes.decode(enc)
+            break
+        except Exception:
+            continue
+
+    if text is None:
         return None, None
 
     if 'Strategy Tester Report' in text or 'strategy tester' in text.lower():
diff --git a/view_live_mt5_eas.py b/view_live_mt5_eas.py
index 4079f48..60d4c21 100644
--- a/view_live_mt5_eas.py
+++ b/view_live_mt5_eas.py
@@ -116,13 +116,13 @@ def refresh_account(cfg: dict, account_folder: str, label: str = "") -> dict:
     if raw is None:
         return {"error": f"No report found for {account_folder}"}
     df, fmt = detect_and_parse(raw, f"{account_folder}.htm")
-    if df is None or df.empty:
+    if df is None:
         return {"error": f"Could not parse report for {account_folder}"}
-    stats = calc_stats(df)
-    # Also parse open positions if present
+    # df.empty is valid for a new account with no closed trades yet
+    stats = calc_stats(df) if not df.empty else {}
     from mt5_parser import parse_open_positions
     df_open = parse_open_positions(raw)
-    data  = {
+    data = {
         "account_folder": account_folder,
         "label"         : label or account_folder,
         "df"            : df,