diff --git a/cmd/acb-evolver/run.go b/cmd/acb-evolver/run.go
index d170852..c30c93d 100644
--- a/cmd/acb-evolver/run.go
+++ b/cmd/acb-evolver/run.go
@@ -187,7 +187,21 @@ func RunEvolutionLoop(ctx context.Context, dbURL string, args []string) {
 	}
 	defer db.Close()
 
+	// Initialize database schema and seed initial population if needed
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	if err := evolverdb.EnsureSchema(ctx, db); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("ensure schema: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Seed initial population if programs table is empty
 	store := evolverdb.NewStore(db)
+	if inserted, err := evolverdb.SeedPopulation(ctx, store); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("seed population: %v", err)
+	} else if inserted > 0 {
+		log.Printf("Seeded %d initial programs", inserted)
+	} else {
+		log.Println("Programs table already seeded")
+	}
 
 	// Load config from env with overrides
 	cfg := DefaultRunConfig()
diff --git a/cmd/acb-index-builder/db.go b/cmd/acb-index-builder/db.go
index 699e0bb..04423d8 100644
--- a/cmd/acb-index-builder/db.go
+++ b/cmd/acb-index-builder/db.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"database/sql"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"log/slog"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -258,9 +259,18 @@ func fetchAllData(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB) (*IndexData, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// Evolution data (may be missing if evolver DB is not available)
+	// Evolution data (may be missing if evolver is not running)
 	data.EvolutionMeta, _ = fetchEvolutionMeta(ctx, db)
 	data.Lineage, _ = fetchLineage(ctx, db)
+	if data.EvolutionMeta != nil && data.EvolutionMeta.Generation > 0 {
+		slog.Info("Evolution system running",
+			"generation", data.EvolutionMeta.Generation,
+			"promoted_today", data.EvolutionMeta.PromotedToday,
+			"total_promoted", data.EvolutionMeta.TotalPromoted,
+			"islands", len(data.EvolutionMeta.IslandPopulations))
+	} else {
+		slog.Info("Evolution system not initialized or not running")
+	}
 
 	data.TopPredictors = computeTopPredictors(data.PredictorStats)
 
@@ -1050,6 +1060,7 @@ type LineageNode struct {
 
 // fetchEvolutionMeta queries the evolver database for evolution statistics.
 // It connects to the evolver database using the same connection parameters.
+// Returns empty meta (not an error) if the evolution system is not running.
 func fetchEvolutionMeta(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB) (*EvolutionMeta, error) {
 	// Query the programs table in the evolver database
 	// Note: the evolver uses a separate database but same PostgreSQL instance
@@ -1068,20 +1079,19 @@ func fetchEvolutionMeta(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB) (*EvolutionMeta, error)
 
 	err := db.QueryRowContext(ctx, query).Scan(&meta.Generation, &meta.PromotedToday, &meta.TotalPromoted, &totalPrograms)
 	if err != nil {
-		// If evolver tables don't exist, return empty meta
-		if err == sql.ErrNoRows {
-			return &EvolutionMeta{
-				Generation:        0,
-				PromotedToday:     0,
-				Top10Count:        0,
-				IslandPopulations: make(map[string]int),
-				BestRatings:       []EvolvedBotRating{},
-				TotalPromoted:     0,
-				PromotionRate:     0,
-				UpdatedAt:         updatedAt,
-			}, nil
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("fetch evolution meta: %w", err)
+		// If evolver tables don't exist or query fails, return empty meta
+		// This is expected when the evolution system has not been initialized yet
+		slog.Info("Evolution system not running or programs table empty", "error", err)
+		return &EvolutionMeta{
+			Generation:        0,
+			PromotedToday:     0,
+			Top10Count:        0,
+			IslandPopulations: make(map[string]int),
+			BestRatings:       []EvolvedBotRating{},
+			TotalPromoted:     0,
+			PromotionRate:     0,
+			UpdatedAt:         updatedAt,
+		}, nil
 	}
 
 	// Calculate promotion rate
diff --git a/cmd/acb-index-builder/generator.go b/cmd/acb-index-builder/generator.go
index e629ddc..3788906 100644
--- a/cmd/acb-index-builder/generator.go
+++ b/cmd/acb-index-builder/generator.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"encoding/xml"
 	"fmt"
+	"log/slog"
 	"math"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -2094,12 +2095,23 @@ func generateEvolutionMeta(data *IndexData, outputDir string) error {
 	// If no evolution meta data, write empty placeholder
 	meta := data.EvolutionMeta
 	if meta == nil {
+		slog.Info("Evolution meta data not available - evolution system not running")
 		meta = &EvolutionMeta{
-			Generation:    0,
-			PromotedToday: 0,
-			Top10Count:    0,
-			UpdatedAt:     data.GeneratedAt.Format(time.RFC3339),
+			Generation:        0,
+			PromotedToday:     0,
+			Top10Count:        0,
+			IslandPopulations: make(map[string]int),
+			BestRatings:       []EvolvedBotRating{},
+			TotalPromoted:     0,
+			PromotionRate:     0,
+			UpdatedAt:         data.GeneratedAt.Format(time.RFC3339),
 		}
+	} else {
+		slog.Info("Writing evolution meta data",
+			"generation", meta.Generation,
+			"promoted_today", meta.PromotedToday,
+			"total_promoted", meta.TotalPromoted,
+			"islands", len(meta.IslandPopulations))
 	}
 
 	return writeJSON(filepath.Join(evolDir, "meta.json"), meta)