diff --git a/preflight_live.py b/preflight_live.py
index 6eb296b8..26379f8d 100644
--- a/preflight_live.py
+++ b/preflight_live.py
@@ -87,22 +87,33 @@ def main():
         # a sharp's LATEST trade is often an in-play market that has already
         # closed (404 = "no orderbook", which itself proves connectivity) —
         # walk recent trades until one still has a live book
-        req = urllib.request.Request(
-            "https://data-api.polymarket.com/activity?user="
-            + cfg["watchlist"][0] + "&type=TRADE&limit=15",
-            headers={"User-Agent": "Mozilla/5.0"})
-        trades = json.loads(urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=15, context=_SSL).read())
         last = None
-        for t in trades:
-            try:
-                ob = client.get_order_book(t["asset"])
-            except Exception as e:
-                last = e
-                continue
-            bid = ob.bids[-1].price if ob.bids else "—"
-            ask = ob.asks[-1].price if ob.asks else "—"
-            return f"{(t.get('title') or '')[:40]}… bid {bid} / ask {ask}"
-        raise RuntimeError(f"no live book among the wallet's last {len(trades)} trades ({last})")
+        for w in cfg["watchlist"]:
+            req = urllib.request.Request(
+                "https://data-api.polymarket.com/activity?user=" + w
+                + "&type=TRADE&limit=10",
+                headers={"User-Agent": "Mozilla/5.0"})
+            for t in json.loads(urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=15, context=_SSL).read()):
+                try:
+                    ob = client.get_order_book(t["asset"])
+                except Exception as e:
+                    last = e
+                    continue
+                bid = ob.bids[-1].price if ob.bids else "—"
+                ask = ob.asks[-1].price if ob.asks else "—"
+                return f"{(t.get('title') or '')[:40]}… bid {bid} / ask {ask}"
+        # every followed wallet is fully in-play right now — prove book access
+        # against any active market instead
+        req = urllib.request.Request(
+            "https://gamma-api.polymarket.com/markets?active=true&closed=false"
+            "&limit=1&order=volume24hr&ascending=false",
+            headers={"User-Agent": "Mozilla/5.0"})
+        gm = json.loads(urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=15, context=_SSL).read())[0]
+        tok = json.loads(gm["clobTokenIds"])[0]
+        ob = client.get_order_book(tok)
+        bid = ob.bids[-1].price if ob.bids else "—"
+        ask = ob.asks[-1].price if ob.asks else "—"
+        return f"[fallback: {(gm.get('question') or '')[:36]}…] bid {bid} / ask {ask}"
     check("order book fetch (market access)", book)
 
     def gas():