diff --git a/services/appraisal-api/package.json b/services/appraisal-api/package.json
index 62821cf..e596a39 100644
--- a/services/appraisal-api/package.json
+++ b/services/appraisal-api/package.json
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@sub-rosa/logging": "workspace:*",
+    "@sub-rosa/sdk": "workspace:*",
     "@stellar/stellar-sdk": "^15.1.0",
     "@x402/core": "^2.14.0",
     "@x402/stellar": "^2.11.0"
diff --git a/services/appraisal-api/src/run.ts b/services/appraisal-api/src/run.ts
index 8f51c15..f3e20b7 100644
--- a/services/appraisal-api/src/run.ts
+++ b/services/appraisal-api/src/run.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,26 @@ import { createLogger } from '@sub-rosa/logging';
 const diagnostics = createLogger("services.appraisal-api.src.run");
 import { configFromEnv } from "./config.js";
 import { buildAppraisalServer } from "./server.js";
+import { assertAssetGuard, ASSET_FIXTURES } from "@sub-rosa/sdk/asset-config";
+import { validateContractNetwork } from "@sub-rosa/sdk/network";
+import { rpc } from "@stellar/stellar-sdk";
+import { DEFAULT_TOKEN_DECIMALS } from "@x402/stellar";
 
 const config = configFromEnv();
+
+assertAssetGuard({
+  networkPassphrase: config.networkPassphrase!,
+  contractId: config.asset,
+  decimals: DEFAULT_TOKEN_DECIMALS,
+}, ASSET_FIXTURES.valid.sac);
+
+const serverRpc = new rpc.Server(config.rpcUrl);
+await validateContractNetwork(serverRpc, {
+  networkPassphrase: config.networkPassphrase!,
+  contractId: config.asset,
+  rpcUrl: config.rpcUrl
+});
+
 const server = await buildAppraisalServer(config);
 server.listen(config.port, () => {
   diagnostics.info("sub-rosa-appraisal-api-on", `sub-rosa appraisal API on :${config.port} — POST /appraise costs ${config.price} on ${config.network}`);