diff --git a/src/bin/fips.rs b/src/bin/fips.rs
index 1e95f9a..e4443fd 100644
--- a/src/bin/fips.rs
+++ b/src/bin/fips.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 //! Loads configuration and creates the top-level node instance.
 
 use clap::Parser;
-use fips::{Config, Node, TunState};
+use fips::{Config, Node};
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use tracing::{error, info, warn, Level};
 use tracing_subscriber::{fmt, EnvFilter};
@@ -101,29 +101,6 @@ async fn main() {
         std::process::exit(1);
     }
 
-    // Show TUN interface details if active
-    if node.tun_state() == TunState::Active {
-        if let Some(tun_name) = node.config().tun.name.as_deref() {
-            let output = std::process::Command::new("ip")
-                .args(["link", "show", tun_name])
-                .output();
-            match output {
-                Ok(out) => {
-                    if out.status.success() {
-                        info!(
-                            "ip link show {}:\n{}",
-                            tun_name,
-                            String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout)
-                        );
-                    }
-                }
-                Err(e) => {
-                    warn!("Failed to run ip link: {}", e);
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
     info!("FIPS running, press Ctrl+C to exit");
 
     match tokio::signal::ctrl_c().await {
diff --git a/src/node.rs b/src/node.rs
index 3d480d3..02097cd 100644
--- a/src/node.rs
+++ b/src/node.rs
@@ -984,7 +984,11 @@ impl Node {
             info!(count = self.transports.len(), "Transports initialized");
         }
 
-        // Initialize TUN interface if configured
+        // Connect to static peers before TUN is active
+        // This allows handshake messages to be sent before we start accepting packets
+        self.initiate_peer_connections().await;
+
+        // Initialize TUN interface last, after transports and peers are ready
         if self.config.tun.enabled {
             let address = *self.identity.address();
             match TunDevice::create(&self.config.tun, address).await {
@@ -993,18 +997,14 @@ impl Node {
                     let name = device.name().to_string();
                     let our_addr = *device.address();
 
-                    info!(
-                        name = %name,
-                        mtu,
-                        address = %device.address(),
-                        "TUN device active"
-                    );
+                    info!("TUN device active:");
+                    info!("     name: {}", name);
+                    info!("  address: {}", device.address());
+                    info!("      mtu: {}", mtu);
 
                     // Create writer (dups the fd for independent write access)
                     let (writer, tun_tx) = device.create_writer()?;
 
-                    info!(mtu, name = %name, "Starting TUN reader and writer");
-
                     // Spawn writer thread
                     let writer_handle = thread::spawn(move || {
                         writer.run();
@@ -1031,9 +1031,6 @@ impl Node {
             }
         }
 
-        // Connect to static peers (step 5 per architecture doc)
-        self.initiate_peer_connections().await;
-
         self.state = NodeState::Running;
         info!(
             state = %self.state,
diff --git a/src/tun.rs b/src/tun.rs
index 83dd98f..e577155 100644
--- a/src/tun.rs
+++ b/src/tun.rs
@@ -317,16 +317,11 @@ pub fn log_ipv6_packet(packet: &[u8]) {
         _ => "other",
     };
 
-    debug!(
-        %src,
-        %dst,
-        protocol,
-        next_header,
-        payload_len,
-        hop_limit,
-        total_len = packet.len(),
-        "TUN packet received"
-    );
+    debug!("TUN packet received:");
+    debug!("      src: {}", src);
+    debug!("      dst: {}", dst);
+    debug!(" protocol: {} ({})", protocol, next_header);
+    debug!("  payload: {} bytes, hop_limit: {}", payload_len, hop_limit);
 }
 
 /// Shutdown and delete a TUN interface by name.