diff --git a/bin/lamassu-ofac-update-sources b/bin/lamassu-ofac-update-sources
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..83f6c011
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/lamassu-ofac-update-sources
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+
+'use strict'
+
+const fs = require('fs')
+
+const ofacSources = [
+  {
+    name: 'sdn_advanced',
+    url: 'https://www.treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/sanctions/1.0/sdn_advanced.xml'
+  },
+  {
+    name: 'cons_advanced',
+    url: 'https://www.treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/sanctions/1.0/cons_advanced.xml'
+  }
+]
+
+const options = require('../lib/options-loader')()
+
+if (!options.opts.ofacSources) {
+  options.opts.ofacSources = ofacSources
+  fs.writeFileSync(options.path, JSON.stringify(options.opts, null, '  '), 'utf8')
+}
diff --git a/bin/lamassu-update b/bin/lamassu-update
index 9b770460..90b6131c 100755
--- a/bin/lamassu-update
+++ b/bin/lamassu-update
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ decho "running migration"
 lamassu-migrate >> ${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
 lamassu-migrate-config >> ${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
 
+decho "update ofac sources"
+$SCRIPTPATH/bin/lamassu-ofac-update-sources
+
 decho "updating supervisor conf"
 perl -i -pe 's/command=.*/command=$ENV{NPM_BIN}\/lamassu-server/g' /etc/supervisor/conf.d/lamassu-server.conf >> ${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
 perl -i -pe 's/command=.*/command=$ENV{NPM_BIN}\/lamassu-admin-server/g' /etc/supervisor/conf.d/lamassu-admin-server.conf >> ${LOG_FILE} 2>&1
diff --git a/lib/ofac/index.js b/lib/ofac/index.js
index 0669f2d5..4d352263 100644
--- a/lib/ofac/index.js
+++ b/lib/ofac/index.js
@@ -75,4 +75,8 @@ function match (nameParts, birthDateString, options) {
   return result
 }
 
-module.exports = {load, match}
+function getStructs () {
+  return structs
+}
+
+module.exports = {load, match, getStructs}
diff --git a/lib/ofac/update.js b/lib/ofac/update.js
index 35271370..5cf7a351 100644
--- a/lib/ofac/update.js
+++ b/lib/ofac/update.js
@@ -103,6 +103,10 @@ function update () {
     throw new Error('ofacDataDir must be defined in lamassu.json')
   }
 
+  if (!options.ofacSources) {
+    logger.error('ofacSources must be defined in lamassu.json')
+  }
+
   const OFAC_SOURCES_DIR = path.join(OFAC_DATA_DIR, 'sources')
   const OFAC_ETAGS_FILE = path.join(OFAC_DATA_DIR, 'etags.json')
 
diff --git a/lib/poller.js b/lib/poller.js
index 64681bdb..2e539f6a 100644
--- a/lib/poller.js
+++ b/lib/poller.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+const _ = require('lodash/fp')
+
 const plugins = require('./plugins')
 const notifier = require('./notifier')
 const T = require('./time')
@@ -16,6 +18,7 @@ const SWEEP_HD_INTERVAL = T.minute
 const TRADE_INTERVAL = 60 * T.seconds
 const PONG_INTERVAL = 10 * T.seconds
 const PONG_CLEAR_INTERVAL = 1 * T.day
+const SANCTIONS_INITIAL_DOWNLOAD_INTERVAL = 5 * T.minutes
 const SANCTIONS_UPDATE_INTERVAL = 1 * T.week
 const RADAR_UPDATE_INTERVAL = 5 * T.minutes
 
@@ -35,6 +38,15 @@ function reload (__settings) {
 function pi () { return _pi }
 function settings () { return _settings }
 
+function initialSanctionsDownload () {
+  const structs = sanctions.getStructs()
+  const isEmptyStructs = _.isNil(structs) || _.flow(_.values, _.all(_.isEmpty))(structs)
+
+  if (!isEmptyStructs) return Promise.resolve()
+
+  return updateAndLoadSanctions()
+}
+
 function updateAndLoadSanctions () {
   const config = configManager.unscoped(settings().config)
 
@@ -75,6 +87,7 @@ function start (__settings) {
   setInterval(() => pi().pong(), PONG_INTERVAL)
   setInterval(() => pi().pongClear(), PONG_CLEAR_INTERVAL)
   setInterval(() => notifier.checkNotification(pi()), CHECK_NOTIFICATION_INTERVAL)
+  setInterval(initialSanctionsDownload, SANCTIONS_INITIAL_DOWNLOAD_INTERVAL)
   setInterval(updateAndLoadSanctions, SANCTIONS_UPDATE_INTERVAL)
   setInterval(updateCoinAtmRadar, RADAR_UPDATE_INTERVAL)
 }