diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a7d8b0b76aa..c8e02b9b157 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 - Fireworks/FirePass: disable Kimi K2.5 Turbo reasoning output by forcing thinking off on the FirePass path and hardening the provider wrapper so hidden reasoning no longer leaks into visible replies. (#63607) Thanks @frankekn.
 - Sessions/model selection: preserve catalog-backed session model labels and keep already-qualified session model refs stable when catalog metadata is unavailable, so Control UI model selection survives reloads without bogus provider-prefixed values. (#61382) Thanks @Mule-ME.
 - Gateway/startup: keep WebSocket RPC available while channels and plugin sidecars start, hold `chat.history` unavailable until startup sidecars finish so synchronous history reads cannot stall startup (reported in #63450), refresh advertised gateway methods after deferred plugin reloads, and enforce the pre-auth WebSocket upgrade budget before the no-handler 503 path so upgrade floods cannot bypass connection limits during that window. (#63480) Thanks @neeravmakwana.
+- Gateway/tailscale: start Tailscale exposure and the gateway update check before awaiting channel and plugin sidecar startup so remote operators are not locked out when startup sidecars stall.
 
 ## 2026.4.9
 
diff --git a/src/gateway/server.impl.ts b/src/gateway/server.impl.ts
index dafc0b44264..451ac81f737 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server.impl.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server.impl.ts
@@ -1343,9 +1343,7 @@ export async function startGatewayServer(
 
     const canvasHostServerPort = (canvasHostServer as CanvasHostServer | null)?.port;
 
-    const unavailableGatewayMethods = new Set<string>(
-      minimalTestGateway ? [] : ["chat.history"],
-    );
+    const unavailableGatewayMethods = new Set<string>(minimalTestGateway ? [] : ["chat.history"]);
     const gatewayRequestContext: import("./server-methods/types.js").GatewayRequestContext = {
       deps,
       cron,
@@ -1489,21 +1487,6 @@ export async function startGatewayServer(
       broadcast,
       context: gatewayRequestContext,
     });
-
-    if (!minimalTestGateway) {
-      log.info("starting channels and sidecars...");
-      ({ pluginServices } = await startGatewaySidecars({
-        cfg: gatewayPluginConfigAtStart,
-        pluginRegistry,
-        defaultWorkspaceDir,
-        deps,
-        startChannels,
-        log,
-        logHooks,
-        logChannels,
-      }));
-      unavailableGatewayMethods.delete("chat.history");
-    }
     logGatewayStartup({
       cfg: cfgAtStart,
       bindHost,
@@ -1536,6 +1519,21 @@ export async function startGatewayServer(
           logTailscale,
         });
 
+    if (!minimalTestGateway) {
+      log.info("starting channels and sidecars...");
+      ({ pluginServices } = await startGatewaySidecars({
+        cfg: gatewayPluginConfigAtStart,
+        pluginRegistry,
+        defaultWorkspaceDir,
+        deps,
+        startChannels,
+        log,
+        logHooks,
+        logChannels,
+      }));
+      unavailableGatewayMethods.delete("chat.history");
+    }
+
     // Run gateway_start plugin hook (fire-and-forget)
     if (!minimalTestGateway) {
       const hookRunner = getGlobalHookRunner();