diff --git a/eve_chat_watcher.py b/eve_chat_watcher.py
index 25a26b2..360d994 100644
--- a/eve_chat_watcher.py
+++ b/eve_chat_watcher.py
@@ -60,11 +60,13 @@ def main():
                  priority="high", tags="speech_balloon")
         return
 
+    w.heartbeat(cp, "chat")                       # announce we're alive first
     d = find_dir(cp)
-    if not d:
-        sys.exit("No Chatlogs dir. Set [chat] chatlogs_dir in config.ini.")
+    while not d:                                   # wait for EVE to create the logs
+        print("[chat] no Chatlogs dir yet (EVE not started?) — retrying in 30s")
+        time.sleep(30)
+        d = find_dir(cp)
     print(f"[chat] watching {channels} in {d}; keywords={keywords or 'ALL'}")
-    w.heartbeat(cp, "chat")
 
     handles = {}  # channel -> (path, fh)
     last = {}     # channel -> last alert time