Weekend Data Drops & Platform Disconnect Policies in Prop Firms
Weekend data drops and platform disconnects are a silent killer in prop trading. The market might be closed, but risk systems are still running — and if data fails or your platform loses connection at the wrong time, you can violate an account without taking a single trade. Prop firms won’t take responsibility unless the failure is on their side, so you need to understand how these policies work.
Why Weekend Data Drops Happen
During the weekend, futures markets are closed. That’s when brokers, data providers, and prop firms do maintenance. Because of this, two things can happen:
- data feed resets (common Sunday afternoons)
- platform reconnect cycles
If your platform tries to reconnect during these moments, orders or positions can behave unpredictably.
How Prop Firms Handle Weekend Maintenance
Most prop firms use three rules related to weekend data integrity:
- You must be flat before the weekend
- Your brackets/stops must be canceled before market close
- Firms are not responsible for fills caused by stale orders
These are separate from weekend holding rules — those deal with positions. This article deals with data behavior and platform stability.
Platform Disconnects: How They Trigger Violations
Disconnects are dangerous because your platform and the firm’s server can go out of sync.
Disconnect violations happen when:
- your platform shows flat but the firm shows an active order
- a bracket order fires after reconnecting
- a stale stop gets triggered from old data
- a market order gets stuck in limbo and fills late
If this happens during high volatility or a gap, you can blow trailing drawdown instantly.
Who Is Responsible for a Disconnect?
Prop firms use a simple rule:
- If it’s your internet or platform → your fault.
- If it’s their server → they may reimburse or fix the account.
They check logs to see where the failure occurred. Unless the outage was firm-wide, they will almost always blame the trader.
Common Disconnect Scenarios
1. Losing Internet Mid-Trade
Your platform freezes. Orders may still be active on the firm’s server. When it reconnects, the trade might be deep in drawdown. Violation triggered.
2. Platform Freezing During Volatility
Platforms like NinjaTrader and Tradovate can lock up temporarily when volatility explodes. If your bracket executes late, you’re done.
3. Stale Orders After Weekend Maintenance
Your platform might show no orders, but the firm still has one sitting on the server. When the market opens, the order activates.
4. Data Feed Dropping but Internet Still Connected
This is the worst one, because the platform looks alive. You enter a trade into dead data and get filled at a terrible price once the feed reconnects.
How to Protect Yourself
- Always flatten and clear working orders on Friday
- Restart your platform every Sunday before opening
- Use a wired connection during active trading
- Keep your phone hotspot ready for emergencies
- Disable automation near the weekend
These rules complement the logic you see in news-trading restrictions — both are about reducing unpredictable risk.
Do Firms Ever Reset Accounts After Disconnects?
Some do, but only if the outage was on their side and affected many traders simultaneously. If it’s only you, they assume it was user error.
Final Takeaway
Weekend data drops and platform disconnects are a real threat. Prop firms expect you to manage your own technical stability. If your platform loses connection or your data drops, the firm will hold you responsible — even if the market was closed. Stay flat, clear orders, and treat every weekend like a maintenance risk window.