diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ab31761..36dc912 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,11 +10,11 @@ Amounts and worked/vacation/sick statuses selected for dates are stored persiste
 python3 -m venv .venv
 source .venv/bin/activate
 pip install -r requirements.txt
-waitress-serve --host=0.0.0.0 --port=9009 fatima:app
+waitress-serve --host=0.0.0.0 --port=9009 flask_fatima:app
 ```
 
 To use a different port, substitute it in the command (for example,
-`--port=8080`). The application exposes its WSGI callable as `fatima:app`, so it
+`--port=8080`). The application exposes its WSGI callable as `flask_fatima:app`, so it
 can also be used by platforms that ask for an application entry point.
 
 Set the username, password, and Flask signing key in `config.yaml` before starting. This file is excluded from Git. Use `config.example.yaml` as the documented template when setting up another machine.
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ The app is served below `/fatima` by default. Configure the external path in
 ```yaml
 flask:
   url_prefix: "/fatima"
+  log_file: "/tmp/fatima.log"
 ```
 
 Set `URL_PREFIX` in the environment to override this value at deployment time.
@@ -77,4 +78,14 @@ On the iPhone, visit `http://<your-computer-on-the-local-network>:9009/fatima/`.
 Waitress listens on all network interfaces with the command above. For anything
 exposed beyond a trusted home network, put it behind an HTTPS reverse proxy.
 
-For deployments, `APP_CONFIG` can point to a YAML file elsewhere. `SECRET_KEY`, `APP_USERNAME`, and `APP_PASSWORD` environment variables optionally override the corresponding YAML values.
+For deployments, `APP_CONFIG` can point to a YAML file elsewhere. `SECRET_KEY`,
+`APP_USERNAME`, `APP_PASSWORD`, `DATABASE`, and `LOG_FILE` environment variables optionally
+override the corresponding values. `DATABASE` should be an absolute path to the
+SQLite file used in production.
+
+At startup, the app prints a database summary to the Waitress log containing the
+resolved path, amount and status totals, distinct recorded-date total, and date
+range. Compare that path and those totals with the importer's output to confirm
+that both processes use the same database. The timestamped summary is also
+appended to the configured `flask.log_file` each time the app starts. It defaults
+to `/tmp/fatima.log` and can be overridden at deployment time with `LOG_FILE`.
diff --git a/config.example.yaml b/config.example.yaml
index 6b308a8..0089807 100644
--- a/config.example.yaml
+++ b/config.example.yaml
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ flask:
   secret_key: "replace-with-a-long-random-value"
   # External path used by the reverse proxy. Use "" to serve from the domain root.
   url_prefix: "/fatima"
+  # Startup database summary log.
+  log_file: "/tmp/fatima.log"
 
 auth:
   username: "your-username"
diff --git a/flask_fatima.py b/flask_fatima.py
index bb6980e..5369891 100644
--- a/flask_fatima.py
+++ b/flask_fatima.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import os
 import secrets
 import sqlite3
-from datetime import date
+from datetime import date, datetime
 from decimal import Decimal, InvalidOperation, ROUND_HALF_UP
 from functools import wraps
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ def load_yaml_config(path):
         "APP_USERNAME": auth.get("username"),
         "APP_PASSWORD": auth.get("password"),
         "URL_PREFIX": normalize_url_prefix(flask_config.get("url_prefix", "/fatima")),
+        "LOG_FILE": flask_config.get("log_file", "/tmp/fatima.log"),
     }
     missing = [
         name for name, value in required.items()
@@ -80,6 +81,40 @@ def load_yaml_config(path):
     return required
 
 
+def database_summary(database_path):
+    with sqlite3.connect(database_path) as database:
+        amount_count = database.execute("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM date_choices").fetchone()[0]
+        status_count = database.execute("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM date_statuses").fetchone()[0]
+        recorded_count, first_date, last_date = database.execute(
+            """
+            SELECT COUNT(*), MIN(recorded_date), MAX(recorded_date) FROM (
+                SELECT choice_date AS recorded_date FROM date_choices
+                UNION
+                SELECT status_date AS recorded_date FROM date_statuses
+            )
+            """
+        ).fetchone()
+    return amount_count, status_count, recorded_count, first_date, last_date
+
+
+def log_database_summary(database_path, log_path):
+    amounts, statuses, recorded_dates, first_date, last_date = database_summary(database_path)
+    date_range = f"{first_date} through {last_date}" if first_date else "no recorded dates"
+    message = (
+        "Fatima database: "
+        f"path={database_path} | "
+        f"amounts={amounts} | statuses={statuses} | "
+        f"recorded_dates={recorded_dates} | range={date_range}"
+    )
+    print(message, flush=True)
+    try:
+        with log_path.open("a", encoding="utf-8") as log_file:
+            timestamp = datetime.now().astimezone().isoformat(timespec="seconds")
+            log_file.write(f"{timestamp} | {message}\n")
+    except OSError as error:
+        print(f"Could not write database summary to {log_path}: {error}", flush=True)
+
+
 def create_app(test_config=None):
     app = Flask(__name__)
     config_path = os.environ.get("APP_CONFIG", Path(app.root_path) / "config.yaml")
@@ -87,7 +122,7 @@ def create_app(test_config=None):
     app.config.setdefault("DATABASE", str(Path(app.instance_path) / "calendar.sqlite"))
 
     # Environment variables remain useful when deploying without a local file.
-    for name in ("SECRET_KEY", "APP_USERNAME", "APP_PASSWORD"):
+    for name in ("SECRET_KEY", "APP_USERNAME", "APP_PASSWORD", "DATABASE", "LOG_FILE"):
         if os.environ.get(name):
             app.config[name] = os.environ[name]
     if "URL_PREFIX" in os.environ:
@@ -95,6 +130,8 @@ def create_app(test_config=None):
     if test_config:
         app.config.update(test_config)
     app.config["URL_PREFIX"] = normalize_url_prefix(app.config["URL_PREFIX"])
+    app.config["DATABASE"] = str(Path(app.config["DATABASE"]).expanduser().resolve())
+    app.config["LOG_FILE"] = str(Path(app.config["LOG_FILE"]).expanduser().resolve())
     app.wsgi_app = UrlPrefixMiddleware(app.wsgi_app, app.config["URL_PREFIX"])
 
     Path(app.config["DATABASE"]).parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
@@ -119,6 +156,9 @@ def create_app(test_config=None):
             """
         )
 
+    if not app.config.get("TESTING"):
+        log_database_summary(app.config["DATABASE"], Path(app.config["LOG_FILE"]))
+
     def get_database():
         connection = sqlite3.connect(app.config["DATABASE"])
         connection.row_factory = sqlite3.Row
diff --git a/tests/test_app.py b/tests/test_app.py
index afa7590..3f89bad 100644
--- a/tests/test_app.py
+++ b/tests/test_app.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import tempfile
+from pathlib import Path
 
-from flask_fatima import create_app
+from flask_fatima import create_app, log_database_summary
 
 URL_PREFIX = "/fatima"
 
@@ -30,6 +31,19 @@ def test_calendar_requires_login():
     assert response.headers["Location"].endswith(url("/login"))
 
 
+def test_database_summary_is_appended_to_log(capsys):
+    test_client = client()
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as directory:
+        log_path = Path(directory) / "fatima.log"
+        log_database_summary(test_client.application.config["DATABASE"], log_path)
+
+        logged = log_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        assert "Fatima database:" in logged
+        assert f"path={test_client.application.config['DATABASE']}" in logged
+        assert "amounts=0 | statuses=0 | recorded_dates=0" in logged
+        assert "Fatima database:" in capsys.readouterr().out
+
+
 def test_prefix_applies_to_generated_links_and_unprefixed_routes_are_rejected():
     test_client = client()
     test_client.post(url("/login"), data={"username": "user", "password": "pass"})