diff --git a/cmd/server/main.go b/cmd/server/main.go
index e24db05..0c2abf5 100644
--- a/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -146,12 +146,8 @@ func main() {
 
 	// Clear any webhook left over from the AWS deployment at startup, before the
 	// owner DM and before polling. getUpdates (long polling, below) returns HTTP
-	// 409 while a webhook is set. drop_pending_updates=false preserves Telegram's
-	// buffered queue so the poller drains updates that arrived during cutover
-	// (lossless cut).
-	if _, err := b.DeleteWebhook(rootCtx, &bot.DeleteWebhookParams{DropPendingUpdates: false}); err != nil {
-		log.Warn("deleteWebhook failed; getUpdates may 409 if a webhook is still set", "err", err)
-	}
+	// 409 while a webhook is set, so a stuck webhook silently breaks the bot.
+	clearWebhook(rootCtx, b)
 
 	deploynotify.Run(rootCtx, deploynotify.Config{
 		Bot:     b,
@@ -198,6 +194,41 @@ func main() {
 	}
 }
 
+// webhookDeleteAttempts bounds the startup webhook-clear retries, and
+// webhookDeleteBackoff is the wait between them. Telegram's edge sometimes
+// returns an empty body on the first request after a cold container start
+// ("unexpected end of JSON input"); a short retry rides over that blip so long
+// polling is not left blocked by a stale webhook.
+const (
+	webhookDeleteAttempts = 5
+	webhookDeleteBackoff  = 1 * time.Second
+)
+
+// clearWebhook deletes any configured webhook so getUpdates (long polling) does
+// not 409. It is best-effort but retried: a transient empty-body decode error
+// on the first attempt must not leave the bot permanently unable to poll.
+// DropPendingUpdates=false preserves Telegram's buffered queue so the poller
+// drains updates that arrived during cutover (lossless cut).
+func clearWebhook(ctx context.Context, b *bot.Bot) {
+	for attempt := 1; attempt <= webhookDeleteAttempts; attempt++ {
+		_, err := b.DeleteWebhook(ctx, &bot.DeleteWebhookParams{DropPendingUpdates: false})
+		if err == nil {
+			log.Info("webhook cleared", "attempt", attempt)
+			return
+		}
+		log.Warn("deleteWebhook failed", "attempt", attempt, "err", err)
+		if attempt == webhookDeleteAttempts {
+			break
+		}
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-time.After(webhookDeleteBackoff):
+		}
+	}
+	log.Warn("deleteWebhook still failing after retries; getUpdates may 409 if a webhook is set")
+}
+
 // buildProvider picks the storage backend. Selection order:
 //  1. Explicit KV_PROVIDER env (memory|mongodb) wins.
 //  2. Auto-detect: MONGO_URL set → mongodb; otherwise memory.
diff --git a/internal/modules/registry.go b/internal/modules/registry.go
index 4d4b43c..3cec58b 100644
--- a/internal/modules/registry.go
+++ b/internal/modules/registry.go
@@ -104,6 +104,18 @@ func Build(enabled []string, factories map[string]Factory, provider storage.Prov
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("modules: storage Provider is required")
 	}
 
+	// Empty/unset MODULES means "load every registered module" — the documented
+	// contract (.env.example, docker-compose.yml, deploy docs). Expand to the
+	// full catalog in sorted order so the load order (and thus CommandHook
+	// registration order) is deterministic across restarts.
+	if len(enabled) == 0 {
+		enabled = make([]string, 0, len(factories))
+		for name := range factories {
+			enabled = append(enabled, name)
+		}
+		sort.Strings(enabled)
+	}
+
 	reg := &Registry{
 		AllCommands: map[string]Command{},
 		publicCmds:  map[string]Command{},
diff --git a/internal/modules/registry_test.go b/internal/modules/registry_test.go
index b8413ad..a594abf 100644
--- a/internal/modules/registry_test.go
+++ b/internal/modules/registry_test.go
@@ -47,6 +47,27 @@ func TestBuild_EmptyModulesBootsCleanly(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestBuild_EmptyModulesLoadsAllRegistered(t *testing.T) {
+	// Empty/unset MODULES is the documented "load every module" contract.
+	factories := map[string]Factory{
+		"alpha": factory("alpha", []Command{noopCmd("a1")}, nil),
+		"beta":  factory("beta", []Command{noopCmd("b1")}, []Cron{noopCron("daily")}),
+	}
+	reg, err := Build(nil, factories, newProvider(), BuildOptions{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Build nil enabled: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(reg.Modules) != len(factories) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected all %d modules loaded, got %d", len(factories), len(reg.Modules))
+	}
+	if _, ok := reg.AllCommands["a1"]; !ok {
+		t.Error("missing command a1 from auto-loaded alpha")
+	}
+	if _, ok := reg.Cron("daily"); !ok {
+		t.Error("missing cron daily from auto-loaded beta")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestBuild_LoadsRequestedModules(t *testing.T) {
 	factories := map[string]Factory{
 		"alpha": factory("alpha", []Command{noopCmd("a1")}, nil),