diff --git a/src/cli/journal.ts b/src/cli/journal.ts
index 4809196..e990a31 100644
--- a/src/cli/journal.ts
+++ b/src/cli/journal.ts
@@ -102,23 +102,23 @@ export async function createJournalServer(
 
   // ---- MQTT Broker ----
   const { Aedes: AedesFactory } = await import("aedes");
-  const broker = new AedesFactory();
+  // aedes requires listen() to initialize persistence before handling connections.
+  const broker = await AedesFactory.createBroker();
 
   // ---- WebSocket server (attached to the existing HTTP server) ----
   // Pattern from aedes docs: pass { server } to WSS, use 'connection' event
   const wss = new WebSocketServer({ server: httpServer });
 
   wss.on("connection", (ws, req) => {
-    console.log(`[journal] ws connected from ${req.socket.remoteAddress}`);
     const stream = createWebSocketStream(ws);
     broker.handle(stream, req);
   });
 
   broker.on("client", (client: import("aedes").Client) => {
-    console.log(`[journal] mqtt client ready: ${client.id}`);
+    console.log(`[journal] client ready: ${client.id}`);
   });
   broker.on("clientDisconnect", (client: import("aedes").Client) => {
-    console.log(`[journal] mqtt client disconnected: ${client.id}`);
+    console.log(`[journal] client disconnected: ${client.id}`);
   });
 
   // ---- Persistence (internal subscribe, no separate MQTT client) ----