diff --git a/web3_proxy/src/app/mod.rs b/web3_proxy/src/app/mod.rs
index 35b8ec21..2751cca2 100644
--- a/web3_proxy/src/app/mod.rs
+++ b/web3_proxy/src/app/mod.rs
@@ -284,6 +284,27 @@ impl Web3ProxyApp {
         };
 
         let balanced_rpcs = top_config.balanced_rpcs;
+
+        // safety check on balanced_rpcs
+        if balanced_rpcs.len() < top_config.app.min_synced_rpcs {
+            return Err(anyhow::anyhow!(
+                "Only {}/{} rpcs! Add more balanced_rpcs or reduce min_synced_rpcs.",
+                balanced_rpcs.len(),
+                top_config.app.min_synced_rpcs
+            ));
+        }
+
+        // safety check on sum soft limit
+        let sum_soft_limit = balanced_rpcs.values().fold(0, |acc, x| acc + x.soft_limit);
+
+        if sum_soft_limit < top_config.app.min_sum_soft_limit {
+            return Err(anyhow::anyhow!(
+                "Only {}/{} soft limit! Add more balanced_rpcs, increase soft limits, or reduce min_sum_soft_limit.",
+                sum_soft_limit,
+                top_config.app.min_sum_soft_limit
+            ));
+        }
+
         let private_rpcs = top_config.private_rpcs.unwrap_or_default();
 
         // these are safe to cancel
diff --git a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/connection.rs b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/connection.rs
index e37100c6..6dd8e628 100644
--- a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/connection.rs
+++ b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/connection.rs
@@ -959,6 +959,7 @@ impl Serialize for Web3Connection {
             &self.frontend_requests.load(atomic::Ordering::Relaxed),
         )?;
 
+        // TODO: rename to head_block (need to work with the frontend team)
         let head_block_id = &*self.head_block.read();
         state.serialize_field("head_block_id", head_block_id)?;
 
diff --git a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/connections.rs b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/connections.rs
index d5492920..832d5b2a 100644
--- a/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/connections.rs
+++ b/web3_proxy/src/rpcs/connections.rs
@@ -173,17 +173,6 @@ impl Web3Connections {
             }
         }
 
-        // TODO: now this errors for private rpcs when we disable all!
-        if connections.len() < min_head_rpcs {
-            return Err(anyhow::anyhow!(
-                "Only {}/{} connections! Add more connections or reduce min_head_rpcs.",
-                connections.len(),
-                min_head_rpcs
-            ));
-        }
-
-        // TODO: safety check on sum soft limit
-
         let synced_connections = SyncedConnections::default();
 
         // TODO: max_capacity and time_to_idle from config