diff --git a/src/db_sync.c b/src/db_sync.c
index 8551406e..431ae87f 100644
--- a/src/db_sync.c
+++ b/src/db_sync.c
@@ -1314,6 +1314,7 @@ static void db_sync_peer_check_cb(void* arg)
             if (db_get_ed25519_pubkey(db, best->node_id, ek) == 0) {
                 best->sync_state = 1; db_sync_initiate_sync(si, best->node_id); total_synced++;
             } else {
+                DEBUG_DEBUG(DEBUG_CATEGORY_DB_SYNC, "peer_check skip peer=%016llx — no Ed25519 pubkey yet", (unsigned long long)best->node_id);
                 best = NULL; total_skipped++;
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/routing_layer/topo_group.c b/src/routing_layer/topo_group.c
index daf708c8..a7e7abfe 100644
--- a/src/routing_layer/topo_group.c
+++ b/src/routing_layer/topo_group.c
@@ -605,13 +605,19 @@ int topo_group_process_nodeinfo(struct TOPO_GROUP* group, struct ETCP_CONN* from
     /* verify Ed25519 self-signature: Ed25519_pubkey must sign X25519_pubkey */
     {
         uint64_t ekchk; memcpy(&ekchk, new_ni->ed25519_public_key, 8);
-        if (ekchk != 0 && sc_ed25519_verify(new_ni->ed25519_public_key, new_ni->public_key, SC_PUBKEY_SIZE, new_ni->x25519_self_sig) != SC_OK) {
+        if (ekchk == 0) {
+            DEBUG_DEBUG(DEBUG_CATEGORY_BGP, "NODEINFO x25519_self_sig SKIP (ed25519 key zero) node=%016llx from=%s",
+                        (unsigned long long)node_id, from->log_name);
+        } else if (sc_ed25519_verify(new_ni->ed25519_public_key, new_ni->public_key, SC_PUBKEY_SIZE, new_ni->x25519_self_sig) != SC_OK) {
             DEBUG_ERROR(DEBUG_CATEGORY_BGP, "NODEINFO x25519_self_sig VERIFY FAIL node=%016llx ed_pubkey=%016llx... from=%s — rejecting as forgery",
                         (unsigned long long)node_id, ekchk, from->log_name);
             topo_node_free_raw(group->instance->topo_groups, new_ni);
             u_free(new_subnets); u_free(new_tranzit); u_free(new_hop_list);
             if (nodeinfo1) { queue_remove_data(group->nodes, &nodeinfo1->ll); queue_free(paths); queue_entry_free(&nodeinfo1->ll); }
             return -1;
+        } else {
+            DEBUG_DEBUG(DEBUG_CATEGORY_BGP, "NODEINFO x25519_self_sig OK node=%016llx ed_pubkey=%016llx... from=%s",
+                        (unsigned long long)node_id, ekchk, from->log_name);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/routing_layer/topo_node.c b/src/routing_layer/topo_node.c
index 4e7ba309..31d034e2 100644
--- a/src/routing_layer/topo_node.c
+++ b/src/routing_layer/topo_node.c
@@ -666,7 +666,8 @@ int topo_group_update_my_nodeinfo(struct UTUN_INSTANCE* instance, struct TOPO_GR
         ni->ver       = (old_ver % 255) + 1;
         memcpy(ni->public_key, instance->my_keys.public_key, SC_PUBKEY_SIZE);
         memcpy(ni->ed25519_public_key, group->ed25519_public_key, SC_PUBKEY_SIZE);
-        sc_ed25519_sign(instance->my_ed25519_privkey, instance->my_keys.public_key, SC_PUBKEY_SIZE, ni->x25519_self_sig);
+        if (sc_ed25519_sign(instance->my_ed25519_privkey, instance->my_keys.public_key, SC_PUBKEY_SIZE, ni->x25519_self_sig) != SC_OK)
+            DEBUG_ERROR(DEBUG_CATEGORY_BGP, "Ed25519 self-sign FAILED for my node=%016llx", (unsigned long long)ni->node_id);
         if (name_len) { ni->node_name = u_malloc(name_len + 1); if (ni->node_name) { memcpy(ni->node_name, instance->name, name_len); ni->node_name[name_len] = 0; } }
 
         lq->node = topo_node_registry_acquire(instance->topo_groups, ni);