diff --git a/octo-fiesta/Services/SquidWTF/SquidWTFStartupValidator.cs b/octo-fiesta/Services/SquidWTF/SquidWTFStartupValidator.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c52d09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/octo-fiesta/Services/SquidWTF/SquidWTFStartupValidator.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+using System.Text;
+using System.Text.Json;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Options;
+using octo_fiesta.Models.Settings;
+using octo_fiesta.Services.Validation;
+
+namespace octo_fiesta.Services.SquidWTF;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Validates SquidWTF service connectivity at startup (no auth needed)
+/// </summary>
+public class SquidWTFStartupValidator : BaseStartupValidator
+{
+    private readonly SquidWTFSettings _settings;
+
+    public override string ServiceName => "SquidWTF";
+
+    public SquidWTFStartupValidator(IOptions<SquidWTFSettings> settings, HttpClient httpClient)
+        : base(httpClient)
+    {
+        _settings = settings.Value;
+    }	
+	
+    public override async Task<ValidationResult> ValidateAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
+    {
+        Console.WriteLine();
+
+        var quality = _settings.Quality?.ToUpperInvariant() switch
+        {
+            "FLAC" => "LOSSLESS",
+            "HI_RES" => "HI_RES_LOSSLESS",
+            "LOSSLESS" => "LOSSLESS",
+            "HIGH" => "HIGH",
+            "LOW" => "LOW",
+            _ => "LOSSLESS (default)"
+        };
+
+        WriteStatus("SquidWTF Quality", quality, ConsoleColor.Cyan);
+
+        // Test connectivity to triton.squid.wtf
+        try
+        {
+            var response = await _httpClient.GetAsync("https://triton.squid.wtf/", cancellationToken);
+
+            if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
+            {
+                WriteStatus("SquidWTF API", "REACHABLE", ConsoleColor.Green);
+                WriteDetail("No authentication required - powered by Tidal");
+                
+                // Try a test search to verify functionality
+                await ValidateSearchFunctionality(cancellationToken);
+                
+                return ValidationResult.Success("SquidWTF validation completed");
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                WriteStatus("SquidWTF API", $"HTTP {(int)response.StatusCode}", ConsoleColor.Yellow);
+                WriteDetail("Service may be temporarily unavailable");
+			return ValidationResult.Failure($"{response.StatusCode}", "SquidWTF returned code");
+            }
+        }
+        catch (TaskCanceledException)
+        {
+            WriteStatus("SquidWTF API", "TIMEOUT", ConsoleColor.Yellow);
+            WriteDetail("Could not reach service within timeout period");
+            return ValidationResult.Failure("-1", "SquidWTF connection timeout");
+        }
+        catch (HttpRequestException ex)
+        {
+            WriteStatus("SquidWTF API", "UNREACHABLE", ConsoleColor.Red);
+            WriteDetail(ex.Message);
+            return ValidationResult.Failure("-1", $"Cannot connect to SquidWTF: {ex.Message}");
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            WriteStatus("SquidWTF API", "ERROR", ConsoleColor.Red);
+            WriteDetail(ex.Message);
+            return ValidationResult.Failure("-1", $"Validation error: {ex.Message}");
+        }
+    }
+
+    private async Task ValidateSearchFunctionality(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            // Test search with a simple query
+            var searchUrl = "https://triton.squid.wtf/search/?s=Taylor%20Swift";
+            var searchResponse = await _httpClient.GetAsync(searchUrl, cancellationToken);
+
+            if (searchResponse.IsSuccessStatusCode)
+            {
+                var json = await searchResponse.Content.ReadAsStringAsync(cancellationToken);
+                var doc = JsonDocument.Parse(json);
+                
+                if (doc.RootElement.TryGetProperty("data", out var data) &&
+                    data.TryGetProperty("items", out var items))
+                {
+                    var itemCount = items.GetArrayLength();
+                    WriteStatus("Search Functionality", "WORKING", ConsoleColor.Green);
+                    WriteDetail($"Test search returned {itemCount} results");
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    WriteStatus("Search Functionality", "UNEXPECTED RESPONSE", ConsoleColor.Yellow);
+                }
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                WriteStatus("Search Functionality", $"HTTP {(int)searchResponse.StatusCode}", ConsoleColor.Yellow);
+            }
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            WriteStatus("Search Functionality", "ERROR", ConsoleColor.Yellow);
+            WriteDetail($"Could not verify search: {ex.Message}");
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file