diff --git a/src/main/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/bootstrap/EzShopsBootstrap.java b/src/main/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/bootstrap/EzShopsBootstrap.java
index 672b92c..ecad547 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/bootstrap/EzShopsBootstrap.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/bootstrap/EzShopsBootstrap.java
@@ -208,12 +208,17 @@ public Set<String> getBundledShopModes() {
     private boolean setupEconomy() {
         RegisteredServiceProvider<Economy> registration =
                 plugin.getServer().getServicesManager().getRegistration(Economy.class);
-        if (registration != null) {
-            economy = registration.getProvider();
-            return economy != null;
+        if (registration == null) {
+            plugin.getLogger().severe("No Vault economy provider is registered. Install an economy "
+                    + "plugin that provides a Vault economy service (e.g. EssentialsX, CMI).");
+            return false;
         }
-
-        return plugin.getServer().getPluginManager().getPlugin("Vault") != null;
+        economy = registration.getProvider();
+        if (economy == null) {
+            plugin.getLogger().severe("Vault registered a null economy provider.");
+            return false;
+        }
+        return true;
     }
 
     private void saveDefaultResources() {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/bootstrap/PlayerShopComponent.java b/src/main/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/bootstrap/PlayerShopComponent.java
index 02a6e15..df6db09 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/bootstrap/PlayerShopComponent.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/bootstrap/PlayerShopComponent.java
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ private PlayerShopRepository createRepository(EzShopsPlugin plugin) {
                 plugin.getLogger().info("Player shops: using Jaloquent storage (JDBC adapter).");
                 return repo;
             } catch (Exception ex) {
-                plugin.getLogger().severe("Failed to initialise Jaloquent for player shops; falling back to YAML. " + ex.getMessage());
+                plugin.getLogger().warning("Failed to initialise Jaloquent for player shops; falling back to YAML. " + ex.getMessage());
             }
         }
         if ("mysql".equalsIgnoreCase(type)) {
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ private PlayerShopRepository createRepository(EzShopsPlugin plugin) {
                 plugin.getLogger().info("Player shops: using MySQL storage.");
                 return repo;
             } catch (IllegalStateException ex) {
-                plugin.getLogger().severe("Failed to connect to MySQL for player shops; falling back to YAML. " + ex.getMessage());
+                plugin.getLogger().warning("Failed to connect to MySQL for player shops; falling back to YAML. " + ex.getMessage());
             }
         }
         return new YmlPlayerShopRepository(plugin.getDataFolder(), plugin.getLogger());
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/AbstractEzShopsTest.java b/src/test/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/AbstractEzShopsTest.java
index 4200496..dcad0a8 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/AbstractEzShopsTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/AbstractEzShopsTest.java
@@ -101,6 +101,27 @@ protected void loadProviderPlugin(Economy econ) {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Load a minimal plugin with the given name that registers no services.
+     * Used to simulate an environment where a hard dependency (e.g. Vault) is
+     * present but no economy provider is registered.
+     */
+    protected void loadBarePlugin(String name) {
+        try {
+            PluginDescriptionFile description = new PluginDescriptionFile(
+                    name, "1.0", BarePlugin.class.getName());
+            File dataFolder = Files.createTempDirectory("test-plugin-" + name).toFile();
+            BarePlugin plugin = (BarePlugin) getUnsafe().allocateInstance(BarePlugin.class);
+            plugin.init(server, description, dataFolder, new File(""),
+                    BarePlugin.class.getClassLoader(), description,
+                    Logger.getLogger(name));
+            server.getPluginManager().registerLoadedPlugin(plugin);
+            server.getPluginManager().enablePlugin(plugin);
+        } catch (IOException | InstantiationException e) {
+            throw new RuntimeException("Failed to load bare plugin " + name, e);
+        }
+    }
+
     private static Unsafe getUnsafe() {
         try {
             Field field = Unsafe.class.getDeclaredField("theUnsafe");
@@ -111,6 +132,13 @@ private static Unsafe getUnsafe() {
         }
     }
 
+    public static class BarePlugin extends JavaPlugin {
+        @Override
+        public void onEnable() {
+            // Intentionally registers no services.
+        }
+    }
+
     public static class TestProviderPlugin extends JavaPlugin {
         static Economy econToRegister;
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/EzShopsSetupEconomyFeatureTest.java b/src/test/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/EzShopsSetupEconomyFeatureTest.java
index 07bdfed..f8603ef 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/EzShopsSetupEconomyFeatureTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/skyblockexp/ezshops/EzShopsSetupEconomyFeatureTest.java
@@ -17,4 +17,16 @@ void servicesManager_registration_before_plugin_enable_allows_economy_detection(
         assertNotNull(plugin);
         assertTrue(plugin.isEnabled(), "EzShops should enable when an Economy provider is registered in ServicesManager");
     }
+
+    @Test
+    void missingEconomyProvider_disablesPluginCleanly() {
+        // Vault present but no economy provider registered. This used to NPE in
+        // PlayerShopComponent.<init> because setupEconomy() returned true while
+        // the economy field was still null.
+        loadBarePlugin("Vault");
+
+        EzShopsPlugin plugin = assertDoesNotThrow(() -> loadPlugin(EzShopsPlugin.class));
+        assertFalse(plugin.isEnabled(),
+                "EzShops should disable cleanly when Vault has no economy provider");
+    }
 }