diff --git a/dispenser/dispenser.go b/dispenser/dispenser.go
index 1f43e49..72f2156 100644
--- a/dispenser/dispenser.go
+++ b/dispenser/dispenser.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ var (
 	}
 )
 
-func checkStatus(statusResp []byte) (string, error) {
+func checkStatus(statusResp []byte) ([]string, error) {
 	if len(statusResp) > 3 {
 		statusBytes := statusResp[7:11] // Extract the relevant bytes from the response
 		// For each position, get the ASCII character, hex value, and mapped meaning.
@@ -84,17 +84,17 @@ func checkStatus(statusResp []byte) (string, error) {
 			{pos: 4, value: statusBytes[3], mapper: statusPos3},
 		}
 
-		result := ""
+		result := make([]string, len(posStatus))
 		for _, p := range posStatus {
 			statusMsg, exists := p.mapper[p.value]
 			if !exists {
 				statusMsg = "Unknown status"
 			}
 			if p.value != 0x30 {
-				result += fmt.Sprintf("Status: %s; ", statusMsg)
+				result = append(result, fmt.Sprintf("Status: %s; ", statusMsg))
 			}
 			if p.pos == 4 && p.value == 0x38 {
-				return result, fmt.Errorf("Card well empty")
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("Card well empty")
 			}
 		}
 		return result, nil
diff --git a/handlers/handlers.go b/handlers/handlers.go
index 1bd476b..6acdffa 100644
--- a/handlers/handlers.go
+++ b/handlers/handlers.go
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ func (app *App) issueDoorCard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	// dispenser sequence
+	// card to encoder position if not there already
 	if status, err := dispenser.DispenserSequence(app.dispPort); err != nil {
 		if status != "" {
 			logging.Error(serviceName, status, "Dispense error", string(op), "", "", 0)
@@ -294,10 +294,11 @@ func (app *App) issueDoorCard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		logging.Error(serviceName, err.Error(), "Key encoding", string(op), "", "", 0)
 		writeError(w, http.StatusBadGateway, err.Error())
 		dispenser.CardOutOfMouth(app.dispPort)
+		dispenser.DispenserSequence(app.dispPort)
 		return
 	}
 
-	// final dispenser steps
+	// card out of mouth
 	if status, err := dispenser.CardOutOfMouth(app.dispPort); err != nil {
 		logging.Error(serviceName, err.Error(), "Dispenser eject error", string(op), "", "", 0)
 		writeError(w, http.StatusServiceUnavailable, "Dispenser eject error: "+err.Error())
@@ -306,6 +307,20 @@ func (app *App) issueDoorCard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		log.Info(status)
 	}
 
+	// card to encoder position
+	if status, err := dispenser.DispenserSequence(app.dispPort); err != nil {
+		if status != "" {
+			logging.Error(serviceName, status, "Dispense error", string(op), "", "", 0)
+			writeError(w, http.StatusServiceUnavailable, "Dispense error: "+err.Error())
+		} else {
+			logging.Error(serviceName, err.Error(), "Dispense error", string(op), "", "", 0)
+			writeError(w, http.StatusServiceUnavailable, "Dispense error: "+err.Error()+"; check card stock")
+		}
+		return
+	} else {
+		log.Info(status)
+	}
+
 	theResponse.Code = http.StatusOK
 	theResponse.Message = "Card issued successfully"
 	// success! return 200 and any data you like
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 9bd235b..1ccc101 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ func main() {
 				fmt.Println(err.Error())
 			}
 		}
+		if status, err = dispenser.DispenserSequence(dispHandle); err != nil {
+			handlers.FatalError(err)
+		}
 		log.Infof("Dispenser initialized on port %s, %s", config.DispenserPort, status)
 	}