diff --git a/cmd/cc-backend/main.go b/cmd/cc-backend/main.go
index 9f98ccbf..12aa9104 100644
--- a/cmd/cc-backend/main.go
+++ b/cmd/cc-backend/main.go
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ func initSubsystems() error {
 	// Initialize job archive
 	archiveCfg := ccconf.GetPackageConfig("archive")
 	if archiveCfg == nil {
+		cclog.Debug("Archive configuration not found, using default archive configuration")
 		archiveCfg = json.RawMessage(defaultArchiveConfig)
 	}
 	if err := archive.Init(archiveCfg, config.Keys.DisableArchive); err != nil {
@@ -375,22 +376,32 @@ func runServer(ctx context.Context) error {
 	}
 	runtime.SystemdNotify(true, "running")
 
-	// Wait for completion or error
+	waitDone := make(chan struct{})
 	go func() {
 		wg.Wait()
+		close(waitDone)
+	}()
+
+	go func() {
+		<-waitDone
 		close(errChan)
 	}()
 
-	// Check for server startup errors
 	select {
 	case err := <-errChan:
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	case <-time.After(100 * time.Millisecond):
-		// Server started successfully, wait for completion
-		if err := <-errChan; err != nil {
-			return err
+		select {
+		case err := <-errChan:
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		case <-waitDone:
+		case <-time.After(45 * time.Second):
+			cclog.Error("Shutdown timeout after 45 seconds - forcing exit")
+			return fmt.Errorf("shutdown timeout exceeded")
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/taskmanager/taskManager.go b/internal/taskmanager/taskManager.go
index 06e4f28f..e1388c86 100644
--- a/internal/taskmanager/taskManager.go
+++ b/internal/taskmanager/taskManager.go
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-co-op/gocron/v2"
 )
 
+const (
+	DefaultCompressOlderThen = 7
+)
+
 // Retention defines the configuration for job retention policies.
 type Retention struct {
 	Policy     string `json:"policy"`
@@ -60,6 +64,38 @@ func parseDuration(s string) (time.Duration, error) {
 	return interval, nil
 }
 
+func initArchiveServices(config json.RawMessage) {
+	var cfg struct {
+		Retention   Retention `json:"retention"`
+		Compression int       `json:"compression"`
+	}
+	cfg.Retention.IncludeDB = true
+
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(config, &cfg); err != nil {
+		cclog.Errorf("error while unmarshaling raw config json: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	switch cfg.Retention.Policy {
+	case "delete":
+		RegisterRetentionDeleteService(
+			cfg.Retention.Age,
+			cfg.Retention.IncludeDB,
+			cfg.Retention.OmitTagged)
+	case "move":
+		RegisterRetentionMoveService(
+			cfg.Retention.Age,
+			cfg.Retention.IncludeDB,
+			cfg.Retention.Location,
+			cfg.Retention.OmitTagged)
+	}
+
+	if cfg.Compression > 0 {
+		RegisterCompressionService(cfg.Compression)
+	} else {
+		RegisterCompressionService(DefaultCompressOlderThen)
+	}
+}
+
 // Start initializes the task manager, parses configurations, and registers background tasks.
 // It starts the gocron scheduler.
 func Start(cronCfg, archiveConfig json.RawMessage) {
@@ -80,32 +116,8 @@ func Start(cronCfg, archiveConfig json.RawMessage) {
 		cclog.Errorf("error while decoding cron config: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	var cfg struct {
-		Retention   Retention `json:"retention"`
-		Compression int       `json:"compression"`
-	}
-	cfg.Retention.IncludeDB = true
-
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(archiveConfig, &cfg); err != nil {
-		cclog.Warn("Error while unmarshaling raw config json")
-	}
-
-	switch cfg.Retention.Policy {
-	case "delete":
-		RegisterRetentionDeleteService(
-			cfg.Retention.Age,
-			cfg.Retention.IncludeDB,
-			cfg.Retention.OmitTagged)
-	case "move":
-		RegisterRetentionMoveService(
-			cfg.Retention.Age,
-			cfg.Retention.IncludeDB,
-			cfg.Retention.Location,
-			cfg.Retention.OmitTagged)
-	}
-
-	if cfg.Compression > 0 {
-		RegisterCompressionService(cfg.Compression)
+	if archiveConfig != nil {
+		initArchiveServices(archiveConfig)
 	}
 
 	lc := auth.Keys.LdapConfig
diff --git a/pkg/nats/client.go b/pkg/nats/client.go
index a32ebdca..3222a525 100644
--- a/pkg/nats/client.go
+++ b/pkg/nats/client.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ type MessageHandler func(subject string, data []byte)
 func Connect() {
 	clientOnce.Do(func() {
 		if Keys.Address == "" {
-			cclog.Warn("NATS: no address configured, skipping connection")
+			cclog.Info("NATS: no address configured, skipping connection")
 			return
 		}