diff --git a/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/repositories/LightningRepo.kt b/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/repositories/LightningRepo.kt
index 5c0d66ab5..f32a407fa 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/repositories/LightningRepo.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/repositories/LightningRepo.kt
@@ -663,7 +663,9 @@ class LightningRepo @Inject constructor(
     }
 
     suspend fun connectToTrustedPeers(): Result<Unit> = executeWhenNodeRunning("connectToTrustedPeers") {
-        runCatching { lightningService.connectToTrustedPeers() }
+        runCatching { lightningService.connectToTrustedPeers() }.also {
+            syncState()
+        }
     }
 
     suspend fun connectPeer(peer: PeerDetails): Result<Unit> = executeWhenNodeRunning("connectPeer") {
@@ -762,11 +764,23 @@ class LightningRepo @Inject constructor(
         bolt11: String,
         sats: ULong? = null,
     ): Result<PaymentId> = executeWhenNodeRunning("payInvoice") {
+        waitForUsableChannels()
         runCatching { lightningService.send(bolt11, sats) }.also {
             syncState()
         }
     }
 
+    private suspend fun waitForUsableChannels() {
+        if (lightningService.channels?.any { it.isUsable } == true) return
+
+        Logger.info("Waiting for usable channels before sending payment", context = TAG)
+        syncState()
+
+        withTimeoutOrNull(CHANNELS_USABLE_TIMEOUT_MS) {
+            _lightningState.first { state -> state.channels.any { it.isUsable } }
+        } ?: Logger.warn("Timeout waiting for usable channels", context = TAG)
+    }
+
     @Suppress("LongParameterList")
     suspend fun sendOnChain(
         address: Address,
@@ -944,12 +958,19 @@ class LightningRepo @Inject constructor(
         }
     }
 
-    suspend fun canSend(amountSats: ULong, fallbackToCachedBalance: Boolean = true): Boolean {
-        return if (!_lightningState.value.nodeLifecycleState.isRunning() && fallbackToCachedBalance) {
-            amountSats <= (cacheStore.data.first().balance?.maxSendLightningSats ?: 0u)
-        } else {
-            lightningService.canSend(amountSats)
+    suspend fun canSend(amountSats: ULong, fallbackToCachedBalance: Boolean = true) = withContext(bgDispatcher) {
+        if (!_lightningState.value.nodeLifecycleState.canRun()) {
+            return@withContext false
+        }
+        if (_lightningState.value.nodeLifecycleState.isStarting() && fallbackToCachedBalance) {
+            return@withContext amountSats <= (cacheStore.data.first().balance?.maxSendLightningSats ?: 0u)
+        }
+        if (lightningService.channels == null) {
+            withTimeoutOrNull(CHANNELS_READY_TIMEOUT_MS) {
+                _lightningState.first { lightningService.channels != null }
+            }
         }
+        return@withContext lightningService.canSend(amountSats)
     }
 
     fun getNodeId(): String? =
@@ -1135,6 +1156,8 @@ class LightningRepo @Inject constructor(
         private const val LENGTH_CHANNEL_ID_PREVIEW = 10
         private const val MS_SYNC_LOOP_DEBOUNCE = 500L
         private const val SYNC_RETRY_DELAY_MS = 15_000L
+        private const val CHANNELS_READY_TIMEOUT_MS = 15_000L
+        private const val CHANNELS_USABLE_TIMEOUT_MS = 15_000L
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/viewmodels/AppViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/viewmodels/AppViewModel.kt
index 508ce615d..f0d371c8c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/viewmodels/AppViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/to/bitkit/viewmodels/AppViewModel.kt
@@ -1132,13 +1132,14 @@ class AppViewModel @Inject constructor(
         val maxSendOnchain = walletRepo.balanceState.value.maxSendOnchainSats
 
         val lnInvoice = extractViableLightningInvoice(invoice.params)
+        val amount = lnInvoice?.amountSatoshis?.takeIf { it > 0uL } ?: invoice.amountSatoshis
         _sendUiState.update {
             it.copy(
                 address = invoice.address,
                 addressInput = scanResult,
                 isAddressInputValid = true,
-                amount = invoice.amountSatoshis,
-                isUnified = lnInvoice != null && invoice.amountSatoshis <= maxSendOnchain && maxSendOnchain > 0u,
+                amount = amount,
+                isUnified = lnInvoice != null && amount <= maxSendOnchain && maxSendOnchain > 0u,
                 decodedInvoice = lnInvoice,
                 payMethod = lnInvoice?.let { SendMethod.LIGHTNING } ?: SendMethod.ONCHAIN,
             )
@@ -1192,7 +1193,7 @@ class AppViewModel @Inject constructor(
         }
 
         Logger.info(
-            when (invoice.amountSatoshis > 0u) {
+            when (amount > 0u) {
                 true -> "Found amount in invoice, proceeding to edit amount"
                 else -> "No amount found in invoice, proceeding to enter amount"
             },
diff --git a/app/src/test/java/to/bitkit/repositories/LightningRepoTest.kt b/app/src/test/java/to/bitkit/repositories/LightningRepoTest.kt
index 014922880..18a441819 100644
--- a/app/src/test/java/to/bitkit/repositories/LightningRepoTest.kt
+++ b/app/src/test/java/to/bitkit/repositories/LightningRepoTest.kt
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ import org.mockito.kotlin.times
 import org.mockito.kotlin.verify
 import org.mockito.kotlin.verifyBlocking
 import org.mockito.kotlin.whenever
-import to.bitkit.data.AppCacheData
 import to.bitkit.data.CacheStore
 import to.bitkit.data.SettingsData
 import to.bitkit.data.SettingsStore
@@ -36,7 +35,6 @@ import to.bitkit.data.backup.VssBackupClientLdk
 import to.bitkit.data.keychain.Keychain
 import to.bitkit.ext.createChannelDetails
 import to.bitkit.ext.of
-import to.bitkit.models.BalanceState
 import to.bitkit.models.CoinSelectionPreference
 import to.bitkit.models.NodeLifecycleState
 import to.bitkit.models.OpenChannelResult
@@ -187,8 +185,10 @@ class LightningRepoTest : BaseUnitTest() {
     }
 
     @Test
-    fun `payInvoice should succeed when node is running`() = test {
+    fun `payInvoice should succeed when node is running and channels are usable`() = test {
         startNodeForTesting()
+        val usableChannel = createChannelDetails().copy(isUsable = true)
+        whenever(lightningService.channels).thenReturn(listOf(usableChannel))
         val testPaymentId = "testPaymentId"
         whenever(lightningService.send("bolt11", 1000uL)).thenReturn(testPaymentId)
 
@@ -197,6 +197,22 @@ class LightningRepoTest : BaseUnitTest() {
         assertEquals(testPaymentId, result.getOrNull())
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun `payInvoice should proceed after timeout when channels are not usable`() = test {
+        startNodeForTesting()
+        val testPaymentId = "testPaymentId"
+        whenever(lightningService.send("bolt11", 1000uL)).thenReturn(testPaymentId)
+
+        // Channels are ready but not usable (peer disconnected)
+        val readyButNotUsable = createChannelDetails().copy(isChannelReady = true, isUsable = false)
+        whenever(lightningService.channels).thenReturn(listOf(readyButNotUsable))
+
+        // payInvoice should wait, timeout, then still attempt to send
+        val result = sut.payInvoice("bolt11", 1000uL)
+        assertTrue(result.isSuccess)
+        assertEquals(testPaymentId, result.getOrNull())
+    }
+
     @Test
     fun `getPayments should fail when node is not running`() = test {
         val result = sut.getPayments()
@@ -312,15 +328,8 @@ class LightningRepoTest : BaseUnitTest() {
     }
 
     @Test
-    fun `canSend should use cached outbound when node is not running`() = test {
-        val cacheData = AppCacheData(
-            balance = BalanceState(
-                maxSendLightningSats = 2000uL
-            )
-        )
-        whenever(cacheStore.data).thenReturn(flowOf(cacheData))
-
-        assert(sut.canSend(1000uL, fallbackToCachedBalance = true))
+    fun `canSend should return false when node is stopped`() = test {
+        assertFalse(sut.canSend(1000uL, fallbackToCachedBalance = true))
     }
 
     @Test