diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index dbdd8252f..299c40906 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -15,10 +15,12 @@ import (
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/core"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/push"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/server"
+	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/server/modbus"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/server/updater"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/pipe"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/sponsor"
+	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/telemetry"
 	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus/promhttp"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -156,6 +158,23 @@ func runRoot(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		site, err = configureSiteAndLoadpoints(conf)
 	}
 
+	// setup telemetry
+	if err == nil {
+		telemetry.Create(conf.Plant)
+		if conf.Telemetry {
+			err = telemetry.Enable(true)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// setup modbus proxy
+	if err == nil {
+		for _, cfg := range conf.ModbusProxy {
+			if err = modbus.StartProxy(cfg.Port, cfg.Settings, cfg.ReadOnly); err != nil {
+				break
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	// setup database
 	if err == nil && conf.Influx.URL != "" {
 		configureInflux(conf.Influx, site.LoadPoints(), tee.Attach())
diff --git a/cmd/setup.go b/cmd/setup.go
index b51e43035..30c942ee4 100644
--- a/cmd/setup.go
+++ b/cmd/setup.go
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/pipe"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/request"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/sponsor"
-	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/telemetry"
 	"github.com/libp2p/zeroconf/v2"
 	"github.com/samber/lo"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -93,14 +92,6 @@ func configureEnvironment(cmd *cobra.Command, conf config) (err error) {
 		err = configureDatabase(conf.Database)
 	}
 
-	// setup telemetry
-	if err == nil {
-		telemetry.Create(conf.Plant)
-		if conf.Telemetry {
-			err = telemetry.Enable(true)
-		}
-	}
-
 	// setup mqtt client listener
 	if err == nil && conf.Mqtt.Broker != "" {
 		err = configureMQTT(conf.Mqtt)