diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index 9117f1c8..a51e9e73 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -9,16 +9,19 @@ const logger = require("./utils/logger.js");
 const client = require("./utils/client.js");
 // initialize command loader
 const handler = require("./utils/handler.js");
+const sound = require("./utils/soundplayer.js");
 
 // registers stuff and connects the bot
 async function init() {
+  logger.log("info", "Starting esmBot...");
   // register commands and their info
   const commands = await readdir("./commands/");
+  const soundStatus = await sound.checkStatus();
   logger.log("info", `Attempting to load ${commands.length} commands...`);
   for (const commandFile of commands) {
     logger.log("info", `Loading command ${commandFile}...`);
     try {
-      await handler.load(commandFile);
+      await handler.load(commandFile, soundStatus);
     } catch (e) {
       logger.error(`Failed to register command ${commandFile.split(".")[0]}: ${e}`);
     }
diff --git a/commands/boi.js b/commands/boi.js
index 12bef619..5798414f 100644
--- a/commands/boi.js
+++ b/commands/boi.js
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ exports.run = async (message) => {
 
 exports.aliases = ["boy", "neutron", "hugh"];
 exports.category = 6;
-exports.help = "Plays the \"boi\" sound effect";
\ No newline at end of file
+exports.help = "Plays the \"boi\" sound effect";
+exports.requires = "sound";
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/commands/boom.js b/commands/boom.js
index fa63fb43..2eb28bc0 100644
--- a/commands/boom.js
+++ b/commands/boom.js
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ exports.run = async (message) => {
 
 exports.aliases = ["thud", "vine"];
 exports.category = 6;
-exports.help = "Plays the Vine boom sound effect";
\ No newline at end of file
+exports.help = "Plays the Vine boom sound effect";
+exports.requires = "sound";
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/commands/bruh.js b/commands/bruh.js
index 9bbf0cf7..e18a51d1 100644
--- a/commands/bruh.js
+++ b/commands/bruh.js
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ exports.run = async (message) => {
 
 exports.aliases = ["bro"];
 exports.category = 6;
-exports.help = "Plays the \"bruh\" sound effect";
\ No newline at end of file
+exports.help = "Plays the \"bruh\" sound effect";
+exports.requires = "sound";
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/commands/explosion.js b/commands/explosion.js
index 0f083782..3ad64fe1 100644
--- a/commands/explosion.js
+++ b/commands/explosion.js
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ exports.run = async (message) => {
 };
 
 exports.category = 6;
-exports.help = "Plays an explosion sound effect";
\ No newline at end of file
+exports.help = "Plays an explosion sound effect";
+exports.requires = "sound";
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/commands/fakeping.js b/commands/fakeping.js
index b4b5be86..6ffe793d 100644
--- a/commands/fakeping.js
+++ b/commands/fakeping.js
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ exports.run = async (message) => {
 
 exports.aliases = ["notification", "notif"];
 exports.category = 6;
-exports.help = "Plays a Discord ping sound effect";
\ No newline at end of file
+exports.help = "Plays a Discord ping sound effect";
+exports.requires = "sound";
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/commands/fart.js b/commands/fart.js
index c34f4155..d15e0a52 100644
--- a/commands/fart.js
+++ b/commands/fart.js
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ exports.run = async (message) => {
 
 exports.aliases = ["toot"];
 exports.category = 6;
-exports.help = "Plays a fart sound effect";
\ No newline at end of file
+exports.help = "Plays a fart sound effect";
+exports.requires = "sound";
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/commands/fbi.js b/commands/fbi.js
index c0bc49c1..38b12301 100644
--- a/commands/fbi.js
+++ b/commands/fbi.js
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ exports.run = async (message) => {
 
 exports.aliases = ["openup"];
 exports.category = 6;
-exports.help = "Plays the \"FBI OPEN UP\" sound effect";
\ No newline at end of file
+exports.help = "Plays the \"FBI OPEN UP\" sound effect";
+exports.requires = "sound";
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/commands/mail.js b/commands/mail.js
index d10563d9..e9be4c10 100644
--- a/commands/mail.js
+++ b/commands/mail.js
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ exports.run = async (message) => {
 
 exports.aliases = ["yougotmail", "youvegotmail", "aol"];
 exports.category = 6;
-exports.help = "Plays the \"You've got mail\" sound effect";
\ No newline at end of file
+exports.help = "Plays the \"You've got mail\" sound effect";
+exports.requires = "sound";
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/commands/oof.js b/commands/oof.js
index ef05204c..91e3217f 100644
--- a/commands/oof.js
+++ b/commands/oof.js
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ exports.run = async (message) => {
 
 exports.aliases = ["roblox", "commitdie"];
 exports.category = 6;
-exports.help = "Plays the Roblox \"oof\" sound";
\ No newline at end of file
+exports.help = "Plays the Roblox \"oof\" sound";
+exports.requires = "sound";
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/commands/winxp.js b/commands/winxp.js
index 9eb702ee..49ad4d73 100644
--- a/commands/winxp.js
+++ b/commands/winxp.js
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ exports.run = async (message) => {
 
 exports.aliases = ["windows", "xp"];
 exports.category = 6;
-exports.help = "Plays the Windows XP startup sound";
\ No newline at end of file
+exports.help = "Plays the Windows XP startup sound";
+exports.requires = "sound";
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/events/ready.js b/events/ready.js
index 48105a21..7921b46c 100644
--- a/events/ready.js
+++ b/events/ready.js
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ module.exports = async () => {
     });
   };
 
-  await soundPlayer.connect();
+  if (!soundPlayer.status) await soundPlayer.connect();
 
   // tweet stuff
   if (twitter !== null && twitter.active === false) {
diff --git a/utils/handler.js b/utils/handler.js
index cf22d39d..767f91b6 100644
--- a/utils/handler.js
+++ b/utils/handler.js
@@ -2,12 +2,13 @@ const collections = require("./collections.js");
 const logger = require("./logger.js");
 
 // load command into memory
-exports.load = async (command) => {
+exports.load = async (command, soundStatus) => {
   const props = require(`../commands/${command}`);
   if (props.requires === "google" && process.env.GOOGLE === "") return logger.log("info", `Google info not provided in config, skipped loading command ${command}...`);
   if (props.requires === "cat" && process.env.CAT === "") return logger.log("info", `Cat API info not provided in config, skipped loading command ${command}...`);
   if (props.requires === "mashape" && process.env.MASHAPE === "") return logger.log("info", `Mashape/RapidAPI info not provided in config, skipped loading command ${command}...`);
   if (props.requires === "twitter" && process.env.TWITTER === "false") return logger.log("info", `Twitter bot disabled, skipped loading command ${command}...`);
+  if (props.requires === "sound" && soundStatus) return logger.log("info", `Failed to connect to some Lavalink nodes, skipped loading command ${command}...`);
   collections.commands.set(command.split(".")[0], props.run);
   collections.info.set(command.split(".")[0], {
     category: props.category,
diff --git a/utils/soundplayer.js b/utils/soundplayer.js
index 0a82784b..a98ff892 100644
--- a/utils/soundplayer.js
+++ b/utils/soundplayer.js
@@ -9,6 +9,23 @@ const nodes = [
 
 let manager;
 
+exports.status = false;
+
+exports.checkStatus = async () => {
+  const statuses = [];
+  for (const node of nodes) {
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(`http://${node.host}:${node.port}/version`, { headers: { Authorization: node.password } }).then(res => res.text());
+      if (response) statuses.push(false);
+    } catch {
+      statuses.push(true);
+    }
+  }
+  const result = statuses.filter(Boolean);
+  this.status = result.length > 0 ? true : false;
+  return this.status;
+};
+
 exports.connect = async () => {
   manager = new Manager(client, nodes, {
     user: client.user.id