diff --git a/cmd/http.go b/cmd/http.go
index 5438f96..28ba364 100644
--- a/cmd/http.go
+++ b/cmd/http.go
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ func NewHTTPCommand() *cobra.Command {
 
 			l := svr.Logger()
 
-			l.Error("test")
-
 			r := repo.New(l,
 				args[0],
 				repo.NewHistory(l,
@@ -69,15 +67,15 @@ func NewHTTPCommand() *cobra.Command {
 			}))
 
 			svr.AddServices(
+				service.NewGoRoutine(l, "repo", func(ctx context.Context, l *zap.Logger) error {
+					return r.Start(ctx)
+				}),
 				service.NewHTTP(l, "http", addressFlag(v),
 					handler.NewHTTP(l, r, handler.WithBasePath(basePathFlag(v))),
 					middleware.Telemetry(),
 					middleware.Logger(),
 					middleware.Recover(),
 				),
-				service.NewGoRoutine(l, "repo", func(ctx context.Context, l *zap.Logger) error {
-					return r.Start(ctx)
-				}),
 			)
 
 			svr.Run()
diff --git a/pkg/handler/http.go b/pkg/handler/http.go
index e2f6160..6e4b540 100644
--- a/pkg/handler/http.go
+++ b/pkg/handler/http.go
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ import (
 type (
 	HTTP struct {
 		l        *zap.Logger
-		basePath string
 		repo     *repo.Repo
+		basePath string
 	}
 	HTTPOption func(*HTTP)
 )
@@ -92,22 +92,22 @@ func (h *HTTP) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 // ~ Private methods
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-func (h *HTTP) handleRequest(r *repo.Repo, handler Route, jsonBytes []byte, source string) ([]byte, error) {
+func (h *HTTP) handleRequest(r *repo.Repo, route Route, jsonBytes []byte, source string) ([]byte, error) {
 	start := time.Now()
 
-	reply, err := h.executeRequest(r, handler, jsonBytes, source)
+	reply, err := h.executeRequest(r, route, jsonBytes, source)
 	result := "success"
 	if err != nil {
 		result = "error"
 	}
 
-	metrics.ServiceRequestCounter.WithLabelValues(string(handler), result, source).Inc()
-	metrics.ServiceRequestDuration.WithLabelValues(string(handler), result, source).Observe(time.Since(start).Seconds())
+	metrics.ServiceRequestCounter.WithLabelValues(string(route), result, source).Inc()
+	metrics.ServiceRequestDuration.WithLabelValues(string(route), result, source).Observe(time.Since(start).Seconds())
 
 	return reply, err
 }
 
-func (h *HTTP) executeRequest(r *repo.Repo, handler Route, jsonBytes []byte, source string) (replyBytes []byte, err error) {
+func (h *HTTP) executeRequest(r *repo.Repo, route Route, jsonBytes []byte, source string) (replyBytes []byte, err error) {
 	var (
 		reply             interface{}
 		apiErr            error
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func (h *HTTP) executeRequest(r *repo.Repo, handler Route, jsonBytes []byte, sou
 	metrics.ContentRequestCounter.WithLabelValues(source).Inc()
 
 	// handle and process
-	switch handler {
+	switch route {
 	// case HandlerGetRepo: // This case is handled prior to handleRequest being called.
 	// since the resulting bytes are written directly in to the http.ResponseWriter / net.Connection
 	case RouteGetURIs:
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ func (h *HTTP) executeRequest(r *repo.Repo, handler Route, jsonBytes []byte, sou
 			reply = r.Update()
 		})
 	default:
-		reply = responses.NewError(1, "unknown handler: "+string(handler))
+		reply = responses.NewError(1, "unknown route: "+string(route))
 	}
 
 	// error handling
diff --git a/pkg/repo/repo.go b/pkg/repo/repo.go
index 81c55ab..909b849 100644
--- a/pkg/repo/repo.go
+++ b/pkg/repo/repo.go
@@ -282,7 +282,6 @@ func (r *Repo) Update() (updateResponse *responses.Update) {
 			updateResponse.Stats.NumberOfNodes += len(dimension.Directory)
 			updateResponse.Stats.NumberOfURIs += len(dimension.URIDirectory)
 		}
-		r.loaded.Store(true)
 	}
 	updateResponse.Stats.OwnRuntime = floatSeconds(time.Since(start).Nanoseconds()) - updateResponse.Stats.RepoRuntime
 	return updateResponse
@@ -325,7 +324,9 @@ func (r *Repo) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 			l.Debug("starting poll routine")
 			return r.PollRoutine(gCtx)
 		})
-	} else if !r.Loaded() {
+	}
+
+	if !r.Loaded() {
 		l.Debug("trying to update initial state")
 		if resp := r.Update(); !resp.Success {
 			l.Error("failed to update initial state",
@@ -335,6 +336,8 @@ func (r *Repo) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 				zap.Float64("own_runtime", resp.Stats.OwnRuntime),
 				zap.Float64("repo_runtime", resp.Stats.RepoRuntime),
 			)
+		} else {
+			r.loaded.Store(true)
 		}
 	}