diff --git a/src/backend/index.ts b/src/backend/index.ts
index 0f1e657c..aca0d5d9 100644
--- a/src/backend/index.ts
+++ b/src/backend/index.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import { getDb, performDbMigrationWithBackup } from './common/database/drizzle/d
 import { getDbPath } from './common/database/Database.js';
 import { createRetentionCleanupTask } from './tasks/retentionCleanup.js';
 import { parseUserConfig } from './common/Cache.js';
+import { nonEmptyStringOrDefault } from '../core/StringUtils.js';
 
 dayjs.extend(utc)
 dayjs.extend(isBetween);
@@ -156,9 +157,8 @@ const configDir = process.env.CONFIG_DIR || path.resolve(projectDir, `./config`)
         if(nameColl.length > 0) {
             logger.warn(`Last.FM source and clients have same names [${nameColl.map(x => x.name).join(',')}] -- this may cause issues`);
         }
-
-        for(const c of scrobbleClients.clients) {
-            c.initTasks();
+        const clientInitOptions = {deadDelay: nonEmptyStringOrDefault(process.env.DEBUG_DEAD_DELAY, undefined) !== undefined ? Number.parseInt(process.env.DEBUG_DEAD_DELAY) : undefined};        for(const c of scrobbleClients.clients) {
+            c.initTasks(clientInitOptions);
             const res = await Promise.race([
                 sleep(2200),
                 (async () => {
diff --git a/src/backend/scrobblers/AbstractScrobbleClient.ts b/src/backend/scrobblers/AbstractScrobbleClient.ts
index bbd2b0d2..1f886525 100644
--- a/src/backend/scrobblers/AbstractScrobbleClient.ts
+++ b/src/backend/scrobblers/AbstractScrobbleClient.ts
@@ -259,7 +259,8 @@ export default abstract class AbstractScrobbleClient extends AbstractComponent i
         this.initializeNowPlayingSchedule();
 
         if(this.scheduler.existsById('dead') === false && this.initDeadTimeout === undefined) {
-            this.logger.verbose('Delaying Dead Scrobbler Processing Task by 2 minutes');
+            const deadDelay = opts.deadDelay ?? 120;
+            this.logger.verbose(`Delaying Dead Scrobbler Processing Task by ${deadDelay} seconds`);
             this.initDeadTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
                 this.logger.info('Adding Dead Scrobbler Processing Task and running immediately');
                 this.initDeadTimeout = undefined;
@@ -280,8 +281,7 @@ export default abstract class AbstractScrobbleClient extends AbstractComponent i
                         this.logger.error(err);
                     }
                 ), {id: 'dead'}));
-            // delay for 2 minutes
-            }, (opts.deadDelay ?? 120) * 1000);
+            }, deadDelay * 1000);
 
         } else {
             if(this.initDeadTimeout !== undefined) {