diff --git a/cmd/node/main.go b/cmd/node/main.go
index ca77387..3837a3d 100644
--- a/cmd/node/main.go
+++ b/cmd/node/main.go
@@ -119,8 +119,10 @@ func main() {
 			bootstrapHost := parseHostFromMultiaddr(*bootstrap)
 			if bootstrapHost != "" {
 				rqliteJoinAddr = fmt.Sprintf("http://%s:4001", bootstrapHost)
+				logger.Printf("Using extracted bootstrap host %s for RQLite join", bootstrapHost)
 			} else {
-				rqliteJoinAddr = "http://57.129.81.31:4001" // Default fallback
+				logger.Printf("Warning: Could not extract host from bootstrap peer %s, using localhost fallback", *bootstrap)
+				rqliteJoinAddr = "http://localhost:4001" // Use localhost fallback instead
 			}
 			logger.Printf("Using command line bootstrap peer: %s", *bootstrap)
 		} else {
@@ -132,13 +134,18 @@ func main() {
 				bootstrapHost := parseHostFromMultiaddr(bootstrapPeers[0])
 				if bootstrapHost != "" {
 					rqliteJoinAddr = fmt.Sprintf("http://%s:4001", bootstrapHost)
+					logger.Printf("Using extracted bootstrap host %s for RQLite join", bootstrapHost)
 				} else {
-					rqliteJoinAddr = "http://57.129.81.31:4001" // Default fallback
+					logger.Printf("Warning: Could not extract host from bootstrap peer %s", bootstrapPeers[0])
+					// Try primary production server as fallback
+					rqliteJoinAddr = "http://localhost:4001"
 				}
 				logger.Printf("Using environment bootstrap peers: %v", bootstrapPeers)
 			} else {
 				logger.Printf("Warning: No bootstrap peers configured")
-				rqliteJoinAddr = "http://57.129.81.31:4001" // Default fallback
+				// Default to localhost when no peers configured
+				rqliteJoinAddr = "http://localhost:4001"
+				logger.Printf("Using localhost fallback for RQLite join")
 			}
 		}
 		
diff --git a/pkg/database/rqlite.go b/pkg/database/rqlite.go
index 2140e46..ac7b4a9 100644
--- a/pkg/database/rqlite.go
+++ b/pkg/database/rqlite.go
@@ -43,12 +43,13 @@ func (r *RQLiteManager) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create RQLite data directory: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Get the external IP address for advertising
+// Get the external IP address for advertising
 	externalIP, err := r.getExternalIP()
 	if err != nil {
 		r.logger.Warn("Failed to get external IP, using localhost", zap.Error(err))
 		externalIP = "localhost"
 	}
+	r.logger.Info("Using external IP for RQLite advertising", zap.String("ip", externalIP))
 
 	// Build RQLite command
 	args := []string{
@@ -64,7 +65,17 @@ func (r *RQLiteManager) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	// Add join address if specified (for non-bootstrap or secondary bootstrap nodes)
 	if r.config.RQLiteJoinAddress != "" {
-		args = append(args, "-join", r.config.RQLiteJoinAddress)
+		r.logger.Info("Joining RQLite cluster", zap.String("join_address", r.config.RQLiteJoinAddress))
+		
+		// Validate join address format before using it
+		if strings.HasPrefix(r.config.RQLiteJoinAddress, "http://") {
+			args = append(args, "-join", r.config.RQLiteJoinAddress)
+		} else {
+			r.logger.Warn("Invalid join address format, skipping join", zap.String("address", r.config.RQLiteJoinAddress))
+			return fmt.Errorf("invalid RQLite join address format: %s (must start with http://)", r.config.RQLiteJoinAddress)
+		}
+	} else {
+		r.logger.Info("No join address specified - starting as new cluster")
 	}
 
 	// Add data directory as positional argument
@@ -75,6 +86,8 @@ func (r *RQLiteManager) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 		zap.Int("http_port", r.config.RQLitePort),
 		zap.Int("raft_port", r.config.RQLiteRaftPort),
 		zap.String("join_address", r.config.RQLiteJoinAddress),
+		zap.String("external_ip", externalIP),
+		zap.Strings("full_args", args),
 	)
 
 	// Start RQLite process