diff --git a/watch/wearos/app/src/main/java/com/doctate/watch/DoctateApp.kt b/watch/wearos/app/src/main/java/com/doctate/watch/DoctateApp.kt
index dc184da..50e554d 100644
--- a/watch/wearos/app/src/main/java/com/doctate/watch/DoctateApp.kt
+++ b/watch/wearos/app/src/main/java/com/doctate/watch/DoctateApp.kt
@@ -80,16 +80,16 @@ class DoctateApp : Application() {
             .launchIn(applicationScope)
 
         // One-shot data-minimization sweep before the sync worker starts,
-        // then kick the service if the pending queue still has work.
+        // then kick the service so it polls /api/oneliners and uploads any
+        // pending recordings. Kicking unconditionally — even with an empty
+        // queue we want the case list to populate from the server.
         applicationScope.launch {
             StartupCleanup.run(
                 store = caseStore,
                 pendingDir = File(filesDir, "recordings/unsynced"),
             )
-            if (pendingStore.scan().isNotEmpty()) {
-                Log.i(TAG, "startup: pending queue non-empty → kicking sync service")
-                syncTrigger.kick(this@DoctateApp, SyncKick.NewPending)
-            }
+            Log.i(TAG, "startup: kicking sync service (queueLen=${pendingStore.scan().size})")
+            syncTrigger.kick(this@DoctateApp, SyncKick.NewPending)
         }
     }