diff --git a/microtensor_subnet/cli/epoch.py b/microtensor_subnet/cli/epoch.py
index 9ecf96c..3bc7aa0 100644
--- a/microtensor_subnet/cli/epoch.py
+++ b/microtensor_subnet/cli/epoch.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import logging
 import os
 import random
+import sys
 import time
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any
@@ -229,10 +230,26 @@ def _relay_token(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
     return 0
 
 
+def _show_logs() -> None:
+    package = logging.getLogger("microtensor_subnet")
+    if not any(getattr(h, "_mt_visible", False) for h in package.handlers):
+        handler = logging.StreamHandler(sys.stdout)
+        handler.setFormatter(logging.Formatter("%(asctime)s %(levelname)s %(name)s %(message)s"))
+        handler._mt_visible = True  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
+        package.addHandler(handler)
+    package.setLevel(logging.INFO)
+    package.propagate = False
+    package.disabled = False
+    for name, found in list(logging.Logger.manager.loggerDict.items()):
+        if isinstance(found, logging.Logger) and name.startswith("microtensor_subnet"):
+            found.disabled = False
+
+
 def _run(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
     config = chain_config(args)
     wallet = open_wallet(config)
     client = open_client(config, wallet)
+    _show_logs()
     server = ServerClient(args.server, hotkey_address(wallet), wallet)
     try:
         block = client.block()
@@ -558,6 +575,7 @@ def _loop(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
     config = chain_config(args)
     wallet = open_wallet(config)
     client = open_client(config, wallet)
+    _show_logs()
     server = ServerClient(args.server, hotkey_address(wallet), wallet)
     state = Path(args.home) / "state"
     state.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
diff --git a/microtensor_subnet/validator/epoch.py b/microtensor_subnet/validator/epoch.py
index fcff494..ede12c7 100644
--- a/microtensor_subnet/validator/epoch.py
+++ b/microtensor_subnet/validator/epoch.py
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ def load_context(
     files = items.open_bundle(manifest, bundle, hotkey, private)
     work_dir = config.work_dir / str(epoch_index)
     epoch_items, trees = items.unpack(files, seed=seed, work_dir=work_dir, limit=config.item_limit)
-    ref = items.reference_components(trees, definition, config.cache_dir)
+    ref = items.reference_components(trees, definition, config.cache_dir, config.chain.network)
     snapshot = client.ledger_snapshot(config.arena_id, epoch_index)
     roster_doc = client.roster(config.arena_id, epoch_index)
     charged = dict(dict(dict(roster_doc or {}).get("body") or {}).get("fee") or {})
diff --git a/microtensor_subnet/validator/items.py b/microtensor_subnet/validator/items.py
index d1e4f0f..971dacc 100644
--- a/microtensor_subnet/validator/items.py
+++ b/microtensor_subnet/validator/items.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 import hashlib
 import json
 import logging
+import shutil
+import subprocess
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any
 
@@ -133,8 +135,43 @@ def unpack(
     ), trees
 
 
+TESTNET = "test"
+TEMPLATE_REPO = "https://github.com/microtensor-io/microtensor-miner-template"
+TEMPLATE_FILES = ("main.py", "config.json", "requirements.txt")
+TEMPLATE_DIRS = ("harness", "escalation")
+
+
+def template_harness(task: str, cache_dir: Path) -> Path:
+    clone = cache_dir / "reference-template"
+    if not (clone / "main.py").is_file():
+        shutil.rmtree(clone, ignore_errors=True)
+        try:
+            subprocess.run(  # noqa: S603
+                ["git", "clone", "--quiet", "--depth", "1", TEMPLATE_REPO, str(clone)],  # noqa: S607
+                check=True,
+                capture_output=True,
+                timeout=300,
+            )
+        except (OSError, subprocess.SubprocessError) as exc:
+            reason = f"the reference harness could not be built from the template: {exc}"
+            raise ReleaseError(reason) from exc
+    into = cache_dir / f"reference-harness-{task or 'generic'}"
+    shutil.rmtree(into, ignore_errors=True)
+    into.mkdir(parents=True)
+    for name in TEMPLATE_FILES:
+        shutil.copy2(clone / name, into / name)
+    for name in TEMPLATE_DIRS:
+        shutil.copytree(clone / name, into / name, ignore=shutil.ignore_patterns("__pycache__"))
+    if task and (into / "harness" / "prompts" / task).is_dir():
+        config = json.loads((into / "config.json").read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        config["adapter"] = task
+        (into / "config.json").write_text(json.dumps(config, indent=2) + chr(10), encoding="utf-8")
+    log.warning("testnet: the bundle has no reference harness; built one from the miner template")
+    return into
+
+
 def reference_components(
-    trees: dict[str, Path], definition: dict[str, Any], cache_dir: Path
+    trees: dict[str, Path], definition: dict[str, Any], cache_dir: Path, network: str = ""
 ) -> Reference:
     references = dict(definition.get("references") or {})
     slm_repo = str(references.get("slm", ""))
@@ -147,6 +184,8 @@ def reference_components(
     except ParameterError as exc:
         raise ReleaseError(f"the reference slm has no readable weights: {exc}") from exc
     harness = trees.get("harness")
+    if harness is None and network == TESTNET:
+        harness = template_harness(str(definition.get("task") or ""), cache_dir)
     if harness is None:
         raise ReleaseError("the bundle carries no reference harness")
     variants = tuple(path for name, path in sorted(trees.items()) if name.startswith("variant-"))