diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index a291b7c..c45b21a 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -311,9 +311,24 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
     }
 
     for (size_t i = 0; i < runtimes.size(); ++i) {
-        if (!runtimes[i].adapter->start(runtimes[i].symbols, runtimes[i].books,
-                                        runtimes[i].metricsMap, snapshotDepth)) {
-            fprintf(stderr, "failed to start %s adapter\n", runtimes[i].name.c_str());
+        constexpr int kMaxStartAttempts = 10;
+        constexpr int kBackoffCapSec    = 300;
+        int backoffSec = 30;
+        bool started = false;
+        for (int attempt = 1; attempt <= kMaxStartAttempts; ++attempt) {
+            if (runtimes[i].adapter->start(runtimes[i].symbols, runtimes[i].books,
+                                           runtimes[i].metricsMap, snapshotDepth)) {
+                started = true;
+                break;
+            }
+            fprintf(stderr, "failed to start %s adapter (attempt %d/%d), retrying in %ds\n",
+                    runtimes[i].name.c_str(), attempt, kMaxStartAttempts, backoffSec);
+            std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::seconds(backoffSec));
+            backoffSec = std::min(backoffSec * 2, kBackoffCapSec);
+        }
+        if (!started) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "gave up starting %s adapter after %d attempts\n",
+                    runtimes[i].name.c_str(), kMaxStartAttempts);
             for (size_t j = 0; j < i; ++j) {
                 runtimes[j].adapter->stop();
             }
diff --git a/src/price_ladder.hpp b/src/price_ladder.hpp
index ba85213..56d00ab 100644
--- a/src/price_ladder.hpp
+++ b/src/price_ladder.hpp
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@
 // dense books (BTC/USDT at $0.01 tick).
 //
 // Memory: (2 * halfRange + 1) * 8 bytes per ladder.
-// Default: ±300 000 ticks = ±$3 000 at $0.01 tick ≈ 4.8 MB per ladder.
+// Default: ±5 000 ticks = ±$50 at $0.01 tick ≈ 78 KB per ladder.
 class PriceLadder {
 public:
     static constexpr long long kDefaultTick = 1'000'000LL;  // $0.01 in 1e8 units
-    static constexpr int kDefaultHalfRange = 300'000;       // ±$3 000 at default tick
+    static constexpr int kDefaultHalfRange = 5'000;         // ±$50 at default tick
 
     explicit PriceLadder(long long tickSizeArg = kDefaultTick,
                          int halfRangeArg = kDefaultHalfRange);
diff --git a/src/symbol_normalizer.hpp b/src/symbol_normalizer.hpp
index 67acb5c..80e063a 100644
--- a/src/symbol_normalizer.hpp
+++ b/src/symbol_normalizer.hpp
@@ -98,6 +98,12 @@ inline std::optional<std::string> SymbolNormalizer::fromCanonical(
         for (char& c : result) {
             if (c == '-') c = '/';
         }
+        // Map canonical base currencies back to Kraken legacy tickers.
+        if (result.starts_with("BTC/")) {
+            result.replace(0, 3, "XBT");
+        } else if (result.starts_with("DOGE/")) {
+            result.replace(0, 4, "XDG");
+        }
         return result;
     }