diff --git a/esp32s3/balance/main/main.c b/esp32s3/balance/main/main.c
index 7858c25..518aa11 100644
--- a/esp32s3/balance/main/main.c
+++ b/esp32s3/balance/main/main.c
@@ -114,9 +114,9 @@ void app_main(void)
 {
     ESP_LOGI(TAG, "ESP32-S3 BALANCE bd-66hx starting");
 
-    /* Init peripherals */
-    orin_serial_init();
+    /* Init CAN FIRST — TWAI must claim GPIO 43/44 before UART0 can grab them */
     vesc_can_init();
+    orin_serial_init();
 
     /* TX queue for outbound serial frames */
     s_orin_tx_q = xQueueCreate(ORIN_TX_QUEUE_DEPTH, sizeof(orin_tx_frame_t));