diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 66bd5d9..6c83dd6 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -16,8 +16,15 @@ use smirk_backend_core::{
 
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
-    tracing_subscriber::fmt::init();
+    // .env BEFORE the subscriber. The unit deliberately sets no EnvironmentFile,
+    // so RUST_LOG lives only in .env and dotenv is what puts it into the
+    // environment. Built first, EnvFilter sees no RUST_LOG and falls back to its
+    // default directive, ERROR, which silently drops every info! and warn! this
+    // binary emits: the boot lines an operator reads to confirm a capability came
+    // up, and the warnings that say why one did not. Production ran that way from
+    // the 2026-09-20 build until this was found.
     let _ = dotenvy::dotenv();
+    tracing_subscriber::fmt::init();
 
     // Fail-closed: aborts on a weak/missing/inconsistent secret. This is the env-only
     // truth; the effective config below layers the validated DB overlay on top.
diff --git a/tests/common/mod.rs b/tests/common/mod.rs
index fcbdf84..891bac3 100644
--- a/tests/common/mod.rs
+++ b/tests/common/mod.rs
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ pub async fn try_app_with(mutate: impl FnOnce(&mut Config)) -> Option<TestApp> {
         config: Arc::new(arc_swap::ArcSwap::from_pointee(config.clone())),
         config_base: Arc::new(config),
         db,
+        // Off in tests: the migration is a production transitional path, and a
+        // test that needed it would configure a legacy database of its own.
+        legacy: smirk_backend_core::infra::legacy_directory::LegacyDirectory::disabled(),
         sessions,
         chains,
         payment,
diff --git a/tests/logging_bootstrap.rs b/tests/logging_bootstrap.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5db33b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/logging_bootstrap.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+//! The log filter must be built AFTER the environment it reads.
+//!
+//! `tracing_subscriber::fmt::init()` builds its `EnvFilter` from `RUST_LOG` at
+//! the moment it is called. The systemd unit deliberately sets no
+//! `EnvironmentFile`, so `RUST_LOG` reaches the process only when `dotenv` has
+//! loaded `.env`. Initialising the subscriber first therefore leaves the filter
+//! with no directive, and its default is ERROR: every `info!` and `warn!` the
+//! binary emits is dropped, silently and in production only, since a developer
+//! running with `RUST_LOG` already exported never sees it.
+//!
+//! That happened. From the 2026-09-20 build until this guard, the deployed
+//! backend logged nothing but errors, which also swallowed the boot lines an
+//! operator reads to confirm a capability came up.
+//!
+//! This asserts the ordering property, not any particular spelling of the two
+//! calls: it locates them by the crate each belongs to.
+
+const MAIN: &str = include_str!("../src/main.rs");
+
+/// Ignore comments, so prose naming a call cannot satisfy or break the check.
+fn code_only(src: &str) -> String {
+    src.lines()
+        .map(|l| match l.find("//") {
+            Some(i) => &l[..i],
+            None => l,
+        })
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+        .join("\n")
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn dotenv_runs_before_the_subscriber_is_built() {
+    let code = code_only(MAIN);
+
+    let dotenv = code
+        .find("dotenvy::")
+        .expect("main must load .env; without it RUST_LOG never reaches the process");
+    let subscriber = code
+        .find("tracing_subscriber::")
+        .expect("main must install a tracing subscriber");
+
+    assert!(
+        dotenv < subscriber,
+        "the tracing subscriber is built before dotenv loads .env, so EnvFilter \
+         sees no RUST_LOG and falls back to ERROR, dropping every info! and \
+         warn! in production. Move the dotenv call above it."
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn the_guard_can_actually_fail() {
+    // A check that cannot fail proves nothing. Feed it the inverted order.
+    let inverted = "tracing_subscriber::fmt::init();\nlet _ = dotenvy::dotenv();";
+    let code = code_only(inverted);
+    assert!(code.find("dotenvy::") > code.find("tracing_subscriber::"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn comments_do_not_decide_the_ordering() {
+    // The real main.rs carries a comment mentioning both names above the code.
+    // Stripping comments must leave the calls themselves in the right order.
+    let commented = "// dotenvy:: and tracing_subscriber:: explained here\n\
+                     let _ = dotenvy::dotenv();\n\
+                     tracing_subscriber::fmt::init();";
+    let code = code_only(commented);
+    assert!(code.find("dotenvy::") < code.find("tracing_subscriber::"));
+}
diff --git a/tests/tips.rs b/tests/tips.rs
index 21e9471..b337d76 100644
--- a/tests/tips.rs
+++ b/tests/tips.rs
@@ -124,6 +124,9 @@ async fn db_create_draft_roundtrips_all_columns() {
     use smirk_backend_core::infra::db::NewSocialTip;
     let enc = hex::decode("cdcd").unwrap();
     let new = NewSocialTip {
+        // Public tip: these predate targeted tips and are claimable by whoever
+        // holds the share URL.
+        recipient_user_id: None,
         sender_user_id: uid,
         asset: "btc",
         amount: 100_000,
@@ -227,6 +230,9 @@ async fn make_draft(
     view_key: Option<&str>,
 ) -> uuid::Uuid {
     let new = NewSocialTip {
+        // Public tip: these predate targeted tips and are claimable by whoever
+        // holds the share URL.
+        recipient_user_id: None,
         sender_user_id: uid,
         asset,
         amount,
@@ -1336,6 +1342,9 @@ async fn grin_tip_db_lifecycle_columns() {
 
     use smirk_backend_core::infra::db::NewSocialTip;
     let new = NewSocialTip {
+        // Public tip: these predate targeted tips and are claimable by whoever
+        // holds the share URL.
+        recipient_user_id: None,
         sender_user_id: uid,
         asset: "grin",
         amount: 500,