diff --git a/src/app.ts b/src/app.ts
index 037bc52..8e0565b 100644
--- a/src/app.ts
+++ b/src/app.ts
@@ -123,23 +123,38 @@ export async function createAppInstance() {
   // Install all enabled modules
   await pluginManager.installAll()
 
+  // Initialize auth before setting up router guards
+  const { auth } = await import('@/composables/useAuth')
+  await auth.initialize()
+  console.log('Auth initialized, isAuthenticated:', auth.isAuthenticated.value)
+
   // Set up auth guard  
   router.beforeEach(async (to, _from, next) => {
-    // Import the auth composable to ensure we're using the same instance as the rest of the app
-    const { auth } = await import('@/composables/useAuth')
+    // Default to requiring auth unless explicitly set to false
+    const requiresAuth = to.meta.requiresAuth !== false
     
-    if (to.meta.requiresAuth && !auth.isAuthenticated.value) {
-      console.log('Auth guard: User not authenticated, redirecting to login')
+    if (requiresAuth && !auth.isAuthenticated.value) {
+      console.log(`Auth guard: User not authenticated, redirecting from ${to.path} to login`)
       next('/login')
     } else if (to.path === '/login' && auth.isAuthenticated.value) {
       console.log('Auth guard: User already authenticated, redirecting to home')
       next('/')
     } else {
-      console.log(`Auth guard: Allowing navigation to ${to.path}`)
+      console.log(`Auth guard: Allowing navigation to ${to.path} (requiresAuth: ${requiresAuth}, authenticated: ${auth.isAuthenticated.value})`)
       next()
     }
   })
 
+  // Check initial route and redirect if needed
+  if (!auth.isAuthenticated.value) {
+    const currentRoute = router.currentRoute.value
+    const requiresAuth = currentRoute.meta.requiresAuth !== false
+    if (requiresAuth) {
+      console.log('Initial route requires auth but user not authenticated, redirecting to login')
+      await router.push('/login')
+    }
+  }
+
   // Global error handling
   app.config.errorHandler = (err, _vm, info) => {
     console.error('Global error:', err, info)
diff --git a/src/modules/base/index.ts b/src/modules/base/index.ts
index 28ea856..d5c62ee 100644
--- a/src/modules/base/index.ts
+++ b/src/modules/base/index.ts
@@ -50,10 +50,7 @@ export const baseModule: ModulePlugin = {
     // Initialize core services
     relayHub.setRelayUrls(options?.config?.nostr?.relays || [])
     await relayHub.initialize()
-    await auth.initialize({
-      waitForDependencies: false, // Auth has no dependencies
-      maxRetries: 1
-    })
+    // Auth initialization moved to app.ts before router guards
     await paymentService.initialize({
       waitForDependencies: true, // PaymentService depends on AuthService
       maxRetries: 3