diff --git a/pkg/api/api.go b/pkg/api/api.go
index 0b464800b..3755f21b9 100644
--- a/pkg/api/api.go
+++ b/pkg/api/api.go
@@ -80,12 +80,12 @@ func NewAPI(ranges sharding.LogRanges) (*API, error) {
 
 	tLogID := viper.GetInt64("trillian_log_server.tlog_id")
 	if tLogID == 0 {
+		log.Logger.Info("No tree ID specified, attempting to intitialize one")
 		t, err := createAndInitTree(ctx, logAdminClient, logClient)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "create and init tree")
 		}
 		tLogID = t.TreeId
-		log.Logger.Infof("Creating new tree with ID: %v", t.TreeId)
 	}
 	// append the active treeID to the API's logRangeMap for lookups
 	ranges.Ranges = append(ranges.Ranges, sharding.LogRange{TreeID: tLogID})
diff --git a/pkg/api/trillian_client.go b/pkg/api/trillian_client.go
index d570d08eb..e3a4f7a6b 100644
--- a/pkg/api/trillian_client.go
+++ b/pkg/api/trillian_client.go
@@ -330,6 +330,7 @@ func createAndInitTree(ctx context.Context, adminClient trillian.TrillianAdminCl
 		}
 	}
 
+	log.Logger.Infof("No existing tree found, attempting to create a new one")
 	// Otherwise create and initialize one
 	t, err := adminClient.CreateTree(ctx, &trillian.CreateTreeRequest{
 		Tree: &trillian.Tree{
@@ -345,5 +346,6 @@ func createAndInitTree(ctx context.Context, adminClient trillian.TrillianAdminCl
 	if err := client.InitLog(ctx, t, logClient); err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "init log")
 	}
+	log.Logger.Infof("Created new tree with ID: %v", t.TreeId)
 	return t, nil
 }