diff --git a/blockstore/splitstore/splitstore.go b/blockstore/splitstore/splitstore.go
index 375ec22d4..e64c33075 100644
--- a/blockstore/splitstore/splitstore.go
+++ b/blockstore/splitstore/splitstore.go
@@ -356,6 +356,8 @@ func (s *SplitStore) Start(chain ChainAccessor) error {
 		return xerrors.Errorf("error loading warmup epoch: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	log.Infof("starting splitstore at base epoch %d", s.baseEpoch)
+
 	// watch the chain
 	chain.SubscribeHeadChanges(s.HeadChange)