diff --git a/dist/index.js b/dist/index.js
index bfeb5b05..396f926b 100644
Binary files a/dist/index.js and b/dist/index.js differ
diff --git a/dist/index.js.map b/dist/index.js.map
index 1bddf965..45a2778d 100644
Binary files a/dist/index.js.map and b/dist/index.js.map differ
diff --git a/src/model/cloud-runner/remote-client/index.ts b/src/model/cloud-runner/remote-client/index.ts
index 5791c35e..b1fc1d3e 100644
--- a/src/model/cloud-runner/remote-client/index.ts
+++ b/src/model/cloud-runner/remote-client/index.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ import BuildParameters from '../../build-parameters';
 export class RemoteClient {
   @CliFunction(`remote-cli-pre-build`, `sets up a repository, usually before a game-ci build`)
   static async runRemoteClientJob() {
+    assert(
+      (await CloudRunnerSystem.Run(`dmesg`, false, true)).includes(`cloud runner build workflow starting`),
+      'System logs must include startup message',
+    );
+
     CloudRunnerLogger.log(`bootstrap game ci cloud runner...`);
     if (!(await RemoteClient.handleRetainedWorkspace())) {
       await RemoteClient.bootstrapRepository();
diff --git a/src/model/cloud-runner/workflows/build-automation-workflow.ts b/src/model/cloud-runner/workflows/build-automation-workflow.ts
index 22da3680..1864023a 100644
--- a/src/model/cloud-runner/workflows/build-automation-workflow.ts
+++ b/src/model/cloud-runner/workflows/build-automation-workflow.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ export class BuildAutomationWorkflow implements WorkflowInterface {
       path.join(CloudRunnerFolders.builderPathAbsolute, 'dist', `index.js`),
     );
 
-    return `apt-get update > /dev/null
+    return `echo "cloud runner build workflow starting"
+      apt-get update > /dev/null
       apt-get install -y curl tar tree npm git-lfs jq git > /dev/null
       npm i -g n > /dev/null
       n 16.15.1 > /dev/null