diff --git a/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp b/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp
index f764fc394..74a7d0ff0 100644
--- a/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp
+++ b/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp
@@ -172,15 +172,25 @@ namespace llarp
     tls_creds->set_key_verify_callback([this](const ustring_view& key, const ustring_view&) {
       bool result = false;
       RouterID other{key.data()};
+
       if (auto itr = rids_pending_verification.find(other); itr != rids_pending_verification.end())
       {
         rids_pending_verification.erase(itr);
         result = true;
       }
+
       if (_router.node_db()->has_rc(other))
         result = true;
 
-      log::critical(logcat, "{}uccessfully verified connection to {}!", result ? "S" : "Un", other);
+      // TODO: discuss pubkey verification for bootstraps connecting to seed node
+      if (_router.is_bootstrap_seed())
+      {
+        log::warning(logcat, "Allowing connection -- we are bootstrap seed");
+        result = true;
+      }
+
+      log::critical(
+          logcat, "{}uccessfully verified connection to {}!", result ? "S" : "Uns", other);
       return result;
     });
     if (_router.is_service_node())
@@ -405,7 +415,7 @@ namespace llarp
     _router.loop()->call([this, &conn_interface = ci, error_code = ec]() {
       const auto& scid = conn_interface.scid();
 
-      log::debug(quic_cat, "Purging quic connection CID:{} (ec: {})", scid, error_code);
+      log::critical(quic_cat, "Purging quic connection CID:{} (ec: {})", scid, error_code);
 
       if (const auto& c_itr = ep.connid_map.find(scid); c_itr != ep.connid_map.end())
       {
@@ -423,7 +433,7 @@ namespace llarp
 
         ep.connid_map.erase(c_itr);
 
-        log::debug(quic_cat, "Quic connection CID:{} purged successfully", scid);
+        log::critical(quic_cat, "Quic connection CID:{} purged successfully", scid);
       }
     });
   }
diff --git a/llarp/link/link_manager.hpp b/llarp/link/link_manager.hpp
index 6a1b3cba8..55bd7d686 100644
--- a/llarp/link/link_manager.hpp
+++ b/llarp/link/link_manager.hpp
@@ -414,6 +414,8 @@ namespace llarp
         connid_map.emplace(conn_interface->scid(), rc.router_id());
         auto [itr, b] = conns.emplace(rc.router_id(), nullptr);
 
+        log::critical(logcat, "Establishing connection to {}...", rc.router_id());
+
         auto control_stream = conn_interface->template get_new_stream<oxen::quic::BTRequestStream>(
             [](oxen::quic::Stream& s, uint64_t error_code) {
               log::warning(
@@ -422,6 +424,7 @@ namespace llarp
                   error_code);
               s.conn.close_connection(error_code);
             });
+
         itr->second = std::make_shared<link::Connection>(conn_interface, control_stream, rc);
 
         return true;
diff --git a/llarp/router/router.cpp b/llarp/router/router.cpp
index 56035e6cc..d21c8edef 100644
--- a/llarp/router/router.cpp
+++ b/llarp/router/router.cpp
@@ -666,7 +666,12 @@ namespace llarp
 
     clear_bad_rcs();
 
-    if (_bootstrap_rc_list->empty() and not conf.bootstrap.seednode)
+    _bootstrap_seed = conf.bootstrap.seednode;
+
+    if (_bootstrap_seed)
+      log::critical(logcat, "We are a bootstrap seed node!");
+
+    if (_bootstrap_rc_list->empty() and not _bootstrap_seed)
     {
       log::warning(logcat, "Warning: bootstrap list is empty and we are not a seed node");
 
@@ -698,9 +703,6 @@ namespace llarp
 
     node_db()->set_bootstrap_routers(std::move(_bootstrap_rc_list));
 
-    if (conf.bootstrap.seednode)
-      log::critical(logcat, "We are a bootstrap seed node!");
-
     // TODO: RC refactor here
     if (_is_service_node)
       init_inbounds();
@@ -765,7 +767,8 @@ namespace llarp
   Router::report_stats()
   {
     const auto now = llarp::time_now_ms();
-    log::info(
+
+    log::critical(
         logcat,
         "{} RCs loaded with {} bootstrap peers and {} router connections!",
         _node_db->num_rcs(),
@@ -774,15 +777,17 @@ namespace llarp
 
     if (is_service_node())
     {
-      log::info(
+      log::critical(
           logcat,
           "Local service node has {} client connections since last RC update ({} to expiry)",
           num_client_connections(),
           router_contact.age(now),
           router_contact.time_to_expiry(now));
     }
+
     if (_last_stats_report > 0s)
       log::info(logcat, "Last reported stats time {}", now - _last_stats_report);
+
     _last_stats_report = now;
   }
 
diff --git a/llarp/router/router.hpp b/llarp/router/router.hpp
index bee0ef337..86eb5de13 100644
--- a/llarp/router/router.hpp
+++ b/llarp/router/router.hpp
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ namespace llarp
 
     bool _testnet = false;
     bool _testing_disabled = false;
+    bool _bootstrap_seed = false;
 
     consensus::reachability_testing router_testing;
 
@@ -157,6 +158,12 @@ namespace llarp
     std::chrono::system_clock::time_point next_bootstrap_attempt{last_rc_gossip};
 
    public:
+    bool
+    is_bootstrap_seed() const
+    {
+      return _bootstrap_seed;
+    }
+
     int
     required_num_client_conns() const
     {