<p>The first line is normal behaviour:</p>
<pre><code>UNUSUAL plugin-bcli: Could not connect to 'lightning-rpc': Connection refused
</code></pre>
<hr />
<p>Your <code>lightningd</code> cannot start if the underlying <code>bitcoind</code> is not up-to-date:</p>
<pre><code>2020-07-20T02:59:44.730Z UNUSUAL lightningd: Waiting for initial block download (this can take a while!)
2020-07-20T02:59:44.732Z UNUSUAL lightningd: Unable to estimate opening fees
...
2020-07-20T02:59:44.732Z UNUSUAL lightningd: Unable to estimate max_acceptable fees
</code></pre>
<p>You just need to wait for <code>bitcoind</code> to finish IBD. <code>lightningd</code> will regularly poll it and launch as soon as it's synced.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-20T10:15:58.173Z
2020-07-20T10:27:49.047Z
2020-07-20T10:27:49.047Z
Antoine Poinsot
<p>I have problems starting up C-lightning's <code>lightningd</code> on Debian Buster under vagrant.</p>
<p>Steps I followed:</p>
<ol>
<li>Fresh install <code>bitcoind</code></li>
<li>Install <code>lightningd</code></li>
<li>Run rpc commands - all good.</li>
<li>Reboot system</li>
<li>Get the error</li>
</ol>
<p>Following is the output of <code>lightnind</code> after reboot:</p>
<pre><code>2020-07-20T02:59:44.639Z UNUSUAL plugin-bcli: Could not connect to 'lightning-rpc': Connection refused
2020-07-20T02:59:44.652Z INFO plugin-bcli: bitcoin-cli initialized and connected to bitcoind.
2020-07-20T02:59:44.730Z UNUSUAL lightningd: Waiting for initial block download (this can take a while!)
2020-07-20T02:59:44.732Z UNUSUAL lightningd: Unable to estimate opening fees
...
2020-07-20T02:59:44.732Z UNUSUAL lightningd: Unable to estimate max_acceptable fees
2020-07-20T02:59:44.925Z UNUSUAL plugin-bcli: bitcoin-cli getblock 00000000000000ad6082acfe902b2ee294f4d1219f12b67bf59f88bb9d4af729 0 exited with status 1
</code></pre>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-20T05:49:26.860Z
Can you post your lightning config file and how you start lightningd? (maybe also for bitcoind) - remember to remove sensitive passwords first if you have those in these files. Also are you sure Bitcoind is running? The log entry suggests it but just making sure
Rene Pickhardt
<bitcoin-core><bitcoind><core-lightning>
Cannot start C-lightning after reboot
jodobear
# Cannot start C-lightning after reboot

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-07-20)

I have problems starting up C-lightning's `lightningd` on Debian Buster under vagrant.

Steps I followed:

1. Fresh install `bitcoind`
2. Install `lightningd`
3. Run rpc commands - all good.
4. Reboot system
5. Get the error

Following is the output of `lightnind` after reboot:

```
2020-07-20T02:59:44.639Z UNUSUAL plugin-bcli: Could not connect to 'lightning-rpc': Connection refused
2020-07-20T02:59:44.652Z INFO plugin-bcli: bitcoin-cli initialized and connected to bitcoind.
2020-07-20T02:59:44.730Z UNUSUAL lightningd: Waiting for initial block download (this can take a while!)
2020-07-20T02:59:44.732Z UNUSUAL lightningd: Unable to estimate opening fees
...
2020-07-20T02:59:44.732Z UNUSUAL lightningd: Unable to estimate max_acceptable fees
2020-07-20T02:59:44.925Z UNUSUAL plugin-bcli: bitcoin-cli getblock 00000000000000ad6082acfe902b2ee294f4d1219f12b67bf59f88bb9d4af729 0 exited with status 1

```

**Tags:** bitcoin-core, bitcoind, core-lightning

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you post your lightning config file and how you start lightningd? (maybe also for bitcoind) - remember to remove sensitive passwords first if you have those in these files. Also are you sure Bitcoind is running? The log entry suggests it but just making sure  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-07-20. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

The first line is normal behaviour:

```
UNUSUAL plugin-bcli: Could not connect to 'lightning-rpc': Connection refused

```

---

Your `lightningd` cannot start if the underlying `bitcoind` is not up-to-date:

```
2020-07-20T02:59:44.730Z UNUSUAL lightningd: Waiting for initial block download (this can take a while!)
2020-07-20T02:59:44.732Z UNUSUAL lightningd: Unable to estimate opening fees
...
2020-07-20T02:59:44.732Z UNUSUAL lightningd: Unable to estimate max_acceptable fees

```

You just need to wait for `bitcoind` to finish IBD. `lightningd` will regularly poll it and launch as soon as it's synced.


---

