diff --git a/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/ViewManagement.java b/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/ViewManagement.java
index 2521d07d4..5e18e4338 100644
--- a/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/ViewManagement.java
+++ b/fireflies/src/main/java/com/salesforce/apollo/fireflies/ViewManagement.java
@@ -30,10 +30,7 @@
 
 import java.time.Duration;
 import java.util.*;
-import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
-import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentMap;
-import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentSkipListMap;
-import java.util.concurrent.RejectedExecutionException;
+import java.util.concurrent.*;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 import java.util.concurrent.locks.Lock;
@@ -51,7 +48,7 @@ public class ViewManagement {
     private static final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(ViewManagement.class);
 
     final            AtomicReference<HexBloom>                     diadem       = new AtomicReference<>();
-    final            Set<Digest>                                   observers    = new TreeSet<>();
+    final            Set<Digest>                                   observers    = new ConcurrentSkipListSet<>();
     private final    AtomicInteger                                 attempt      = new AtomicInteger();
     private final    Digest                                        bootstrapView;
     private final    DynamicContext<Participant>                   context;
@@ -288,6 +285,11 @@ void join(Join join, Digest from, StreamObserver<Gateway> responseObserver, Time
                               .toList(), from, responseObserver, timer);
                 return;
             }
+            if (!observers.contains(node.getId())) {
+                log.warn("Join not observer! from: {}  observers: {} on: {}", from, observers, node.getId());
+                responseObserver.onNext(Gateway.getDefaultInstance());
+                return;
+            }
             if (!thisView.equals(joinView)) {
                 responseObserver.onError(new StatusRuntimeException(
                 Status.OUT_OF_RANGE.withDescription("View: " + joinView + " does not match: " + thisView)));
@@ -376,8 +378,8 @@ boolean joined() {
      */
     void maybeViewChange() {
         if (context.size() == 1 && joins.size() < context.getRingCount() - 1) {
-            log.info("Do not have minimum cluster size: {} required: {} for: {} on: {}", joins.size() + context.size(),
-                     4, currentView(), node.getId());
+            log.info("Cannot form cluster: {} with: {} members, required:4 on: {}", currentView(),
+                     joins.size() + context.size(), node.getId());
             view.scheduleViewChange();
             return;
         }
@@ -390,7 +392,7 @@ void maybeViewChange() {
                 // Use pending rebuttals as a proxy for stability
                 if (view.hasPendingRebuttals()) {
                     log.debug("Pending rebuttals in view: {} on: {}", currentView(), node.getId());
-                    view.scheduleViewChange(1); // 1 TTL round to check again
+                    view.scheduleViewChange(2); // 2 TTL round2 to check again
                 } else {
                     view.scheduleFinalizeViewChange();
                 }
@@ -474,8 +476,8 @@ Redirect seed(Registration registration, Digest from) {
 
             final var introductions = observers.stream().map(context::getMember).toList();
 
-            log.debug("Member seeding: {} view: {} context: {} introductions: {} on: {}", newMember.getId(),
-                      currentView(), context.getId(), introductions.size(), node.getId());
+            log.info("Member seeding: {} view: {} context: {} introductions: {} on: {}", newMember.getId(),
+                     currentView(), context.getId(), introductions.stream().map(p -> p.getId()).toList(), node.getId());
             return Redirect.newBuilder()
                            .setView(currentView().toDigeste())
                            .addAllIntroductions(introductions.stream()
@@ -599,7 +601,7 @@ private void setDiadem(final HexBloom hex) {
         diadem.set(hex);
         currentView.set(diadem.get().compactWrapped());
         resetObservers();
-        log.debug("View: {} set diadem: {} observers: {} view: {} context: {} size: {} on: {}", context.getId(),
+        log.trace("View: {} set diadem: {} observers: {} view: {} context: {} size: {} on: {}", context.getId(),
                   diadem.get().compactWrapped(), observers.stream().toList(), currentView(), context.getId(),
                   context.size(), node.getId());
     }