diff --git a/llarp/config/config.cpp b/llarp/config/config.cpp
index 4dbc60fc7..a26159eeb 100644
--- a/llarp/config/config.cpp
+++ b/llarp/config/config.cpp
@@ -933,39 +933,24 @@ namespace llarp
 
     auto parse_addr_for_link = [net_ptr](const std::string& arg) {
       std::optional<oxen::quic::Address> maybe = std::nullopt;
-      std::string_view arg_v;
+      std::string_view arg_v{arg}, host;
+      uint16_t p{DEFAULT_LISTEN_PORT};
 
-      // explicitly provided value
-      if (not arg.empty())
+      if (auto pos = arg_v.find(':'); pos != arg_v.npos)
       {
-        arg_v = std::string_view{arg};
-      }
-
-      if (arg_v[0] == ':')
-      {
-        uint16_t res;
-        if (auto rv = llarp::parse_int<uint16_t>(arg_v.substr(1), res); not rv)
-          res = DEFAULT_LISTEN_PORT;
+        host = arg_v.substr(0, pos);
 
-        maybe = oxen::quic::Address{""s, res};
+        if (not llarp::parse_int<uint16_t>(arg_v.substr(pos + 1), p))
+          throw std::invalid_argument{"Failed to parse port in arg:{}"_format(arg)};
       }
-      else if (auto pos = arg_v.find(':'); pos != arg_v.npos)
-      {
-        auto h = arg_v.substr(0, pos);
-        uint16_t p;
-        if (auto rv = llarp::parse_int<uint16_t>(arg_v.substr(pos + 1), p); not rv)
-          p = DEFAULT_LISTEN_PORT;
 
-        maybe = oxen::quic::Address{std::string{h}, p};
+      if (host.empty())
+        maybe = net_ptr->get_best_public_address(true, p);
+      else
+        maybe = oxen::quic::Address{std::string{host}, p};
 
-        if (maybe->is_loopback())
-          throw std::invalid_argument{fmt::format("{} is a loopback address", arg)};
-      }
-      if (not maybe)
-        // infer public address
-        maybe = net_ptr->get_best_public_address(true, DEFAULT_LISTEN_PORT);
-      else if (maybe && maybe->port() == 0)
-        maybe->set_port(DEFAULT_LISTEN_PORT);
+      if (maybe and maybe->is_loopback())
+        throw std::invalid_argument{"{} is a loopback address"_format(arg)};
 
       return maybe;
     };
diff --git a/llarp/router/router.cpp b/llarp/router/router.cpp
index 5f8289f56..fc9d17ed6 100644
--- a/llarp/router/router.cpp
+++ b/llarp/router/router.cpp
@@ -764,6 +764,9 @@ namespace llarp
           out,
           num_client_connections(),
           router_contact.time_to_expiry(now));
+
+      if (num_router_connections() >= _node_db->num_rcs())
+        log::critical(logcat, "SERVICE NODE IS FULLY MESHED");
     }
     else
     {
@@ -780,6 +783,8 @@ namespace llarp
       log::info(logcat, "Last reported stats time {}", now - _last_stats_report);
 
     _last_stats_report = now;
+
+    oxen::log::flush();
   }
 
   std::string
@@ -880,15 +885,11 @@ namespace llarp
         // TESTNET: 1 to 5 minutes before testnet gossip interval
         auto delta =
             std::chrono::seconds{std::uniform_int_distribution<size_t>{60, 300}(llarp::csrng)};
-        // 1min to 5min before "stale time" is next gossip time
-        // auto random_delta =
-        //     std::chrono::seconds{std::uniform_int_distribution<size_t>{60, 300}(llarp::csrng)};
 
         next_rc_gossip = now_timepoint + TESTNET_GOSSIP_INTERVAL - delta;
-        // next_rc_gossip = now_timepoint + RouterContact::STALE_AGE - random_delta;
       }
 
-      report_stats();
+      // report_stats();
     }
 
     if (needs_rebootstrap() and now_timepoint > next_bootstrap_attempt)
@@ -1008,8 +1009,6 @@ namespace llarp
             FULL_MESH_ITERATION);
         _link_manager->connect_to_random(FULL_MESH_ITERATION);
       }
-      else
-        log::critical(logcat, "SERVICE NODE IS FULLY MESHED");
     }
     else
     {
@@ -1129,8 +1128,6 @@ namespace llarp
     _node_db->load_from_disk();
     _node_db->store_bootstraps();
 
-    oxen::log::flush();
-
     log::info(logcat, "Creating Introset Contacts...");
     _contacts = std::make_unique<Contacts>(*this);
 
diff --git a/llarp/router/router.hpp b/llarp/router/router.hpp
index beeae1edf..045553551 100644
--- a/llarp/router/router.hpp
+++ b/llarp/router/router.hpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ namespace llarp
   // how big of a time skip before we reset network state
   inline constexpr std::chrono::milliseconds NETWORK_RESET_SKIP_INTERVAL{1min};
 
-  inline constexpr std::chrono::milliseconds REPORT_STATS_INTERVAL{1h};
+  inline constexpr std::chrono::milliseconds REPORT_STATS_INTERVAL{10s};
 
   inline constexpr std::chrono::milliseconds DECOMM_WARNING_INTERVAL{5min};