diff --git a/crates/codegraph-cli/tests/batch_m_uninit.rs b/crates/codegraph-cli/tests/batch_m_uninit.rs
index a156cb9..fa66c0b 100644
--- a/crates/codegraph-cli/tests/batch_m_uninit.rs
+++ b/crates/codegraph-cli/tests/batch_m_uninit.rs
@@ -136,7 +136,8 @@ fn run_in_with_config(registry_dir: &Path, args: &[&str], codegraph_dir: Option<
         .current_dir(registry_dir)
         .args(args)
         .env("CODEGRAPH_HTTP_REGISTRY_DIR", registry_dir)
-        .env("CODEGRAPH_NO_DAEMON", "1");
+        .env("CODEGRAPH_NO_DAEMON", "1")
+        .env("RUST_LOG", "info");
     if let Some(configured) = codegraph_dir {
         command.env("CODEGRAPH_DIR", configured);
     } else {
@@ -790,6 +791,18 @@ fn explicit_init_recovers_an_owner_mismatched_namespace() {
         "explicit init must recover OwnerMismatch: stdout={}, stderr={}",
         init.stdout, init.stderr
     );
+    assert!(
+        !init
+            .stderr
+            .contains("replaced stale foreign index state slots")
+            && !init
+                .stderr
+                .contains("replaced stale foreign index database")
+            && !init.stderr.contains("codegraph_store::rebuild")
+            && !init.stderr.contains(" INFO "),
+        "normal init progress must not be split by recovery logger output: stderr={}",
+        init.stderr
+    );
     assert_eq!(Store::extraction_status(&paths), ExtractionStatus::Current);
     let store = Store::open_for_read(&paths, deadline(), || false)
         .expect("recovered OwnerMismatch namespace must be readable");
diff --git a/crates/codegraph-cli/tests/batch_m_v2_namespace.rs b/crates/codegraph-cli/tests/batch_m_v2_namespace.rs
index 31f40a1..f0a6a03 100644
--- a/crates/codegraph-cli/tests/batch_m_v2_namespace.rs
+++ b/crates/codegraph-cli/tests/batch_m_v2_namespace.rs
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@ fn run_in_env(registry_dir: &Path, args: &[&str], envs: &[(&str, &str)]) -> Run
     let mut cmd = Command::new(bin());
     cmd.args(args)
         .env("CODEGRAPH_HTTP_REGISTRY_DIR", registry_dir)
-        .env("CODEGRAPH_NO_DAEMON", "1");
+        .env("CODEGRAPH_NO_DAEMON", "1")
+        .env("RUST_LOG", "info");
     for (k, v) in envs {
         cmd.env(k, v);
     }
@@ -150,8 +151,8 @@ fn init_writes_default_project_local_codegraph_root() {
 
 /// A real pre-state-slot SQLite index in the selected root is a rebuildable
 /// foreign cache, not an unrecoverable contradiction. `init` must acquire its
-/// one rebuild lease, replace that database automatically, and explain the
-/// one-time replacement at INFO level.
+/// one rebuild lease and replace that database automatically without injecting
+/// raw logger output into the normal progress UI.
 #[test]
 fn init_takes_over_real_sqlite_database_without_state_slots() {
     let dir = TestDir::new("foreign-db-takeover");
@@ -168,12 +169,10 @@ fn init_takes_over_real_sqlite_database_without_state_slots() {
         run.stdout, run.stderr
     );
     assert!(
-        run.stderr.contains("replaced stale foreign index database")
-            && run
-                .stderr
-                .contains(&paths.current_db().display().to_string())
-            && run.stderr.contains("missing state slots"),
-        "INFO log must name the replaced DB and the Missing-state reason: stderr={}",
+        !run.stderr.contains("replaced stale foreign index database")
+            && !run.stderr.contains("codegraph_store::rebuild")
+            && !run.stderr.contains(" INFO "),
+        "normal init progress must not be split by recovery logger output: stderr={}",
         run.stderr
     );
 
@@ -193,6 +192,36 @@ fn init_takes_over_real_sqlite_database_without_state_slots() {
     );
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn foreign_database_replacement_details_require_debug_logging() {
+    let dir = TestDir::new("foreign-db-debug-log");
+    let project = dir.path().join("mini");
+    copy_tree(&mini_fixture(), &project);
+    let paths = IndexPaths::resolve(&project, None).expect("resolve selected index root");
+    stage_foreign_database(&paths);
+
+    let run = run_in_env(
+        dir.path(),
+        &["init", project.to_str().unwrap()],
+        &[("RUST_LOG", "codegraph_store::rebuild=debug")],
+    );
+    assert!(
+        run.ok,
+        "debug init must still replace a Missing-state SQLite index: stdout={} stderr={}",
+        run.stdout, run.stderr
+    );
+    assert!(
+        run.stderr.contains("replaced stale foreign index database")
+            && run
+                .stderr
+                .contains(&paths.current_db().display().to_string())
+            && run.stderr.contains("missing state slots")
+            && run.stderr.contains("DEBUG"),
+        "explicit debug logging must retain replacement diagnostics: stderr={}",
+        run.stderr
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn status_json_reports_foreign_database_without_opening_or_mutating_it() {
     let dir = TestDir::new("foreign-db-status-json");
diff --git a/crates/codegraph-store/src/rebuild.rs b/crates/codegraph-store/src/rebuild.rs
index 160dec4..1d8d7a8 100644
--- a/crates/codegraph-store/src/rebuild.rs
+++ b/crates/codegraph-store/src/rebuild.rs
@@ -336,7 +336,9 @@ fn remove_owner_mismatched_state_slots(
         .map(|path| path.display().to_string())
         .collect::<Vec<_>>()
         .join(", ");
-    tracing::info!(
+    // Keep successful cache recovery available for opt-in diagnostics without
+    // splitting the foreground CLI's progress renderer at the default INFO level.
+    tracing::debug!(
         slots = %removed,
         reason = "project identity mismatch after move or copy",
         "replaced stale foreign index state slots"
@@ -415,7 +417,9 @@ fn begin_from_authorization(
     remove_database_files(paths, &lease)?;
     checkpoint(fault, RebuildCheckpoint::DatabaseRemoved)?;
     if let Some(path) = replaced_artifact {
-        tracing::info!(
+        // This is successful internal recovery, not a user-facing warning.
+        // DEBUG preserves observability without interleaving raw logs with init.
+        tracing::debug!(
             path = %path.display(),
             reason = "missing state slots",
             "replaced stale foreign index database"
diff --git a/skills/codegraph/SKILL.md b/skills/codegraph/SKILL.md
index 25a8182..e762a67 100644
--- a/skills/codegraph/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/codegraph/SKILL.md
@@ -65,6 +65,12 @@ also escalate through `sync`; do not jump to a forced rebuild merely because the
 CLI version changed. Follow the exact recovery command printed by `status` or the
 failed command.
 
+Missing index-state slots and an all-`OwnerMismatch` index after a project move
+or copy are supported `init` recovery cases. When `status`, `sync`, or another
+failed command explicitly prints `codegraph init ...`, run that exact command to
+replace the stale index; do not keep retrying `sync`. Do not generalize this to
+mixed or other corruption when the CLI does not prescribe `init`.
+
 ### Start the MCP server
 
 ```bash