diff --git a/pysim_simple_server/__main__.py b/pysim_simple_server/__main__.py
index a46acdf..4dab33d 100644
--- a/pysim_simple_server/__main__.py
+++ b/pysim_simple_server/__main__.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from . import presets
 from . import test_scripts
 from . import test_suites
 from . import testscript
-from .server import PysimHandler, StderrApduTracer, _LoggingApduTracer, VERSION, _send_terminal_profile, _DefaultProactiveHandler, _handle_proactive_chain, _send_status, _init_proactive_session, _timing_on, _tlog, _set_menu_timeout, start_card_monitor, set_auto_equip, _read_iccid, _netstate_read, _netstate_install, _LineFilter, _test_command_type, migrate_scripts_to_suites
+from .server import PysimHandler, StderrApduTracer, _LoggingApduTracer, VERSION, _send_terminal_profile, _DefaultProactiveHandler, _handle_proactive_chain, _send_status, _init_proactive_session, _timing_on, _tlog, _set_menu_timeout, start_card_monitor, set_auto_equip, _read_iccid, _read_arr, _netstate_read, _netstate_install, _LineFilter, _test_command_type, migrate_scripts_to_suites
 
 
 _server_start = 0
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@ def main():
         fastinit.install(app)
     iccid = None
     netstate_files = None
+    arr_files = None
     if scc and card is not None and hasattr(scc, '_tp'):
         scc._tp.apdu_tracer = _LoggingApduTracer()
         try:
@@ -235,6 +236,13 @@ def main():
                     netstate_files = _netstate_read(app)
                 except Exception:
                     netstate_files = None
+                # EF.ARR (the FCP '8B' references): read here too - a card
+                # present at server start never runs _apply_equipped_card,
+                # which owns this read on a later equip.
+                arr_files = _read_arr(app)
+                if arr_files:
+                    sys.stderr.write('INIT: EF.ARR %s\n' % ', '.join(
+                        '%s (%d rec)' % (a['fid'], a['num_records']) for a in arr_files))
             t_phase = time.time()
             sys.stderr.write('INIT: sending TERMINAL PROFILE %s (CLA=%s)\n' % (opts.terminal_profile, scc.cat_cla))
             sm, el = _send_terminal_profile(scc, opts.terminal_profile)
@@ -317,6 +325,9 @@ def main():
     server.card_present = card is not None
     server.card_session = 1 if card is not None else 0
     server.iccid = iccid
+    # EF.ARR cache (v3.24.0): read by the startup init above (a card present
+    # at server start); a later equip refreshes it in _apply_equipped_card.
+    server.arr = arr_files
     # Network state monitor: install the state read during the startup init
     # (right after the ICCID, before the TERMINAL PROFILE).  No readable
     # ICCID means the card is considered unusable - give up.
diff --git a/tests/test_arr.py b/tests/test_arr.py
index 80c0aed..0eba3c0 100644
--- a/tests/test_arr.py
+++ b/tests/test_arr.py
@@ -147,6 +147,16 @@ class CacheTests(unittest.TestCase):
         seg = SRC[SRC.index("elif self.path == '/api/write':"):SRC.index("elif self.path == '/api/tree':")]
         self.assertIn('_arr_refresh_after_write', seg)
 
+    def test_the_startup_init_reads_the_arr(self):
+        # a card present at server start never runs _apply_equipped_card, so
+        # the startup init reads the ARR in its own CAT-free window (v3.24.0
+        # review - the cache was empty on a startup-equipped card)
+        src = (ROOT / 'pysim_simple_server' / '__main__.py').read_text(encoding='utf-8')
+        self.assertIn('arr_files = _read_arr(app)', src)
+        self.assertIn('server.arr = arr_files', src)
+        imp = src[src.index('from .server import'):]
+        self.assertIn('_read_arr', imp[:imp.index('\n')])
+
 
 class ArrRouteTests(unittest.TestCase):
     """GET /api/arr serves the session cache without touching the card."""