diff --git a/__main__.py b/__main__.py
index c3078718..a6598313 100644
--- a/__main__.py
+++ b/__main__.py
@@ -19,13 +19,12 @@
 logger = get_logger(__name__)
 
 def handle_keyboard_interrupt(signum, frame):
-    print("Cleaning up...")
     cleanup()
     asyncio.get_event_loop().stop()
 
 def cleanup():
     # Perform any necessary cleanup here
-    logger.info("Performing cleanup tasks...")
+    logger.info("Performing cleanup tasks.")
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     # Set up signal handlers
@@ -33,14 +32,14 @@ def cleanup():
     #signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, handle_keyboard_interrupt)
 
     # Create the app
-    logger.info("Creating the app...")
+    logger.info("Creating the app.")
     from app import create_app
     app = create_app()
 
     # Run the app
     import uvicorn
     
-    logger.info("Running the app...")
+    logger.info("Running the app with uvicorn.")
     try:
         uvicorn.run("app:create_app", host="localhost", port=3080, factory=True, workers=1, reload=True, reload_dirs=[backend_dir], reload_excludes=[venv_dir], log_config=logging_config)
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
diff --git a/backend/db.py b/backend/db.py
index 11260491..81e5ea21 100644
--- a/backend/db.py
+++ b/backend/db.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 # use alembic to create the database or migrate to the latest schema
 def init_db():
-    logger.info("Initializing database...")
+    logger.info("Initializing database.")
     alembic_cfg = AlembicConfig()
     os.makedirs(db_path.parent, exist_ok=True)
     alembic_cfg.set_main_option("script_location", str(base_dir / "migrations"))
diff --git a/common/config.py b/common/config.py
index a0aea272..2b27c70c 100644
--- a/common/config.py
+++ b/common/config.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     "disable_existing_loggers": False,
     "formatters": {
         'standard': {
-            'format': '%(asctime)s [%(levelname)s] %(name)s: %(message)s'
+            'format': '%(asctime)s [%(levelname)s] %(name)s: %(message)s',
         },
         "uvicorn_default": {
             "()": "uvicorn.logging.DefaultFormatter",
@@ -22,13 +22,22 @@
 
     },
     "handlers": {
+        # TODO: standardise formatting; for now use uvicorn_default
+        "default": {
+            #"formatter": "standard",
+            "formatter": "uvicorn_default",
+            "class": "logging.StreamHandler",
+            "stream": "ext://sys.stderr",
+        },
         "standard": {
-            "formatter": "standard",
+            #"formatter": "standard",
+            "formatter": "uvicorn_default",
             "class": "logging.StreamHandler",
             "stream": "ext://sys.stderr",
         },
         "uvicorn_default": {
             "formatter": "uvicorn_default",
+            #"formatter": "standard",
             "class": "logging.StreamHandler",
             "stream": "ext://sys.stderr",
         },
@@ -50,10 +59,11 @@
         },
     },
     "loggers": {
-        "": {"handlers": ["standard"], "level": "INFO"}, # root logger
+        "": {"handlers": ["default"], "level": "INFO"}, # root logger
         "connexion": {"handlers": ["connexion"], "level": "DEBUG", "propagate": False},
         "uvicorn": {"handlers": ["uvicorn_default"], "level": "INFO", "propagate": False},
         "uvicorn.error": {"level": "INFO"},
         "uvicorn.access": {"handlers": ["access"], "level": "INFO", "propagate": False},
+        "watchfiles.main": {"level": "ERROR"}, # filter watchfiles noise
     },
 }