diff --git a/src/controller/config_repl.c b/src/controller/config_repl.c
index a074da3..430bee9 100644
--- a/src/controller/config_repl.c
+++ b/src/controller/config_repl.c
@@ -96,9 +96,9 @@ int load_primary_config(cluster_t *c)
     char fname[256] = {0};
     int rc = conf_read_current_filename(conf_dir, fname, sizeof(fname));
     if (rc != 0) {
-        ERROR("Primary has no config at '%s/conf/current' (rc=%d) — "
-              "provision the config before starting",
-              conf_dir, rc);
+        INFO("No config at '%s/conf/current' (rc=%d) — "
+             "will fetch from primary after election",
+             conf_dir, rc);
         return -ENOENT;
     }
 
@@ -924,7 +924,7 @@ int fetch_config_from_primary(cluster_t *c)
 
         uint32_t       delay_ms       = 500;
         const uint32_t max_delay_ms   = 5000;
-        const int      max_attempts   = 20;
+        const int      max_attempts   = 60;  /* up to 5min: primary may still be initializing */
 
         for (int attempt = 0; attempt < max_attempts; attempt++) {
             /* If promoted during retry, switch to primary path */
diff --git a/src/lib/netio.c b/src/lib/netio.c
index ad761da..26e960e 100644
--- a/src/lib/netio.c
+++ b/src/lib/netio.c
@@ -449,8 +449,11 @@ static int handle_ssl_handshake(endpoint_t* ep)
         rc = 0;
         break;
     default:
-        errno = ecode;
-        perror("SSL_do_handshake");
+        /* Only log if it's a genuine error (not errno=0 after success) */
+        if (ecode != 0) {
+            errno = ecode;
+            perror("SSL_do_handshake");
+        }
         rc = handle_error(ep);
         break;
     }