diff --git a/src/app.py b/src/app.py
index b27982a..9318445 100644
--- a/src/app.py
+++ b/src/app.py
@@ -60,11 +60,16 @@ async def lifespan(app: FastAPI):
 
 @app.get("/api/war/status", tags=["War"])
 async def get_war_status():
-    """Get current war status"""
+    """Get current war status. If DB is empty, fetches live and saves so Data Console/MCP get data on first request."""
     data = db.get_latest_war_status()
     if data:
         return data
-    raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="No war status data available")
+    # No data yet (e.g. before first collector run): try live fetch so UI/MCP get something
+    data = scraper.get_war_status()
+    if data:
+        db.save_war_status(data)
+        return data
+    raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="No war status data available (upstream API may be unreachable)")
 
 
 @app.post("/api/war/status/refresh", tags=["War"])
@@ -316,11 +321,15 @@ async def get_planet_history(planet_index: int, limit: int = Query(10, ge=1, le=
 
 @app.get("/api/statistics", tags=["Statistics"])
 async def get_statistics():
-    """Get latest global statistics"""
+    """Get latest global statistics. If DB is empty, fetches live and saves so Data Console/MCP get data."""
     data = db.get_latest_statistics()
     if data:
         return data
-    raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="No statistics available")
+    data = scraper.get_statistics()
+    if data:
+        db.save_statistics(data)
+        return data
+    raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="No statistics available (upstream API may be unreachable)")
 
 
 @app.get("/api/statistics/history", tags=["Statistics"])
diff --git a/tests/test_app.py b/tests/test_app.py
index 2b20914..aafc5a6 100644
--- a/tests/test_app.py
+++ b/tests/test_app.py
@@ -50,14 +50,30 @@ def test_get_war_status_success(self, mock_get, client):
         data = response.json()
         assert data["war_id"] == 1
 
+    @patch("src.app.scraper.get_war_status")
     @patch("src.app.db.get_latest_war_status")
-    def test_get_war_status_not_found(self, mock_get, client):
-        """Test getting war status when none exists"""
+    def test_get_war_status_not_found(self, mock_get, mock_scraper, client):
+        """Test getting war status when DB empty and live fetch fails"""
         mock_get.return_value = None
+        mock_scraper.return_value = None
 
         response = client.get("/api/war/status")
         assert response.status_code == 404
 
+    @patch("src.app.scraper.get_war_status")
+    @patch("src.app.db.save_war_status")
+    @patch("src.app.db.get_latest_war_status")
+    def test_get_war_status_live_when_db_empty(self, mock_get, mock_save, mock_scraper, client):
+        """When DB has no row yet, GET uses live fetch and persists"""
+        mock_get.return_value = None
+        mock_scraper.return_value = {"war_id": 42, "status": "active"}
+        mock_save.return_value = True
+
+        response = client.get("/api/war/status")
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        assert response.json()["war_id"] == 42
+        mock_save.assert_called_once()
+
     @patch("src.app.scraper.get_war_status")
     @patch("src.app.db.save_war_status")
     def test_refresh_war_status_success(self, mock_save, mock_scraper, client):
@@ -173,14 +189,30 @@ def test_get_statistics_success(self, mock_get, client):
         response = client.get("/api/statistics")
         assert response.status_code == 200
 
+    @patch("src.app.scraper.get_statistics")
     @patch("src.app.db.get_latest_statistics")
-    def test_get_statistics_not_found(self, mock_get, client):
-        """Test getting statistics when none exists"""
+    def test_get_statistics_not_found(self, mock_get, mock_scraper, client):
+        """Test getting statistics when DB empty and live fetch fails"""
         mock_get.return_value = None
+        mock_scraper.return_value = None
 
         response = client.get("/api/statistics")
         assert response.status_code == 404
 
+    @patch("src.app.scraper.get_statistics")
+    @patch("src.app.db.save_statistics")
+    @patch("src.app.db.get_latest_statistics")
+    def test_get_statistics_live_when_db_empty(self, mock_get, mock_save, mock_scraper, client):
+        """When DB has no row yet, GET uses live fetch and persists"""
+        mock_get.return_value = None
+        mock_scraper.return_value = {"total_players": 999}
+        mock_save.return_value = True
+
+        response = client.get("/api/statistics")
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+        assert response.json()["total_players"] == 999
+        mock_save.assert_called_once()
+
     @patch("src.app.db.get_latest_statistics")
     def test_get_statistics_history(self, mock_get, client):
         """Test getting statistics history"""
diff --git a/tests/test_coverage_gaps.py b/tests/test_coverage_gaps.py
index 4d6a71d..7e21301 100644
--- a/tests/test_coverage_gaps.py
+++ b/tests/test_coverage_gaps.py
@@ -187,10 +187,12 @@ def test_refresh_statistics_none(self, mock_save, mock_scraper, client):
 class TestDatabaseCoveragePaths:
     """Test database error and edge case paths"""
 
+    @patch("src.app.scraper.get_statistics")
     @patch("src.app.db.get_latest_statistics")
-    def test_statistics_not_found(self, mock_get, client):
-        """Test getting statistics when not found"""
+    def test_statistics_not_found(self, mock_get, mock_scraper, client):
+        """Test getting statistics when DB empty and live fetch fails"""
         mock_get.return_value = None
+        mock_scraper.return_value = None
         response = client.get("/api/statistics")
         assert response.status_code == 404