diff --git a/containers/registry.go b/containers/registry.go
index 82465fe..b239874 100644
--- a/containers/registry.go
+++ b/containers/registry.go
@@ -716,6 +716,11 @@ func (r *Registry) getOrCreateContainer(pid uint32) *Container {
 // updateEbpfStatsAndActiveConns reads eBPF maps and updates container stats
 // directly from the event handler goroutine. Also refreshes active connection gauges.
 func (r *Registry) updateEbpfStatsAndActiveConns() {
+	// handleEvents starts before tracer.Run has loaded the eBPF collection;
+	// iterating its maps before then panics on a nil dereference.
+	if !r.tracer.Ready() {
+		return
+	}
 	// Traffic stats from eBPF maps
 	iter := r.tracer.ActiveConnectionsIterator()
 	cid := ebpftracer.ConnectionId{}
diff --git a/ebpftracer/tracer.go b/ebpftracer/tracer.go
index 26ec9de..71370c7 100644
--- a/ebpftracer/tracer.go
+++ b/ebpftracer/tracer.go
@@ -104,6 +104,12 @@ type Tracer struct {
 	ringbufReader *ringbuf.Reader // Ring buffer reader for l7_events
 	links         []link.Link
 	uprobes       map[string]*ebpf.Program
+
+	// ready is set once Run has loaded the eBPF collection and completed the
+	// initial process scan. Consumers running before Run completes (e.g. the
+	// registry event-handler goroutine) must check it before touching
+	// collection maps.
+	ready atomic.Bool
 }
 
 func NewTracer(hostNetNs, selfNetNs netns.NsHandle, disableL7Tracing bool) *Tracer {
@@ -130,9 +136,16 @@ func (t *Tracer) Run(events chan<- Event) error {
 	if err := t.init(events); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	t.ready.Store(true)
 	return nil
 }
 
+// Ready reports whether Run has loaded the eBPF collection and finished the
+// initial process scan. Map iterators must not be used until this returns true.
+func (t *Tracer) Ready() bool {
+	return t.ready.Load()
+}
+
 func (t *Tracer) Close() {
 	for _, p := range t.uprobes {
 		_ = p.Close()