diff --git a/nephthys/__main__.py b/nephthys/__main__.py
index 28efbd5..f0f5add 100644
--- a/nephthys/__main__.py
+++ b/nephthys/__main__.py
@@ -57,13 +57,16 @@ async def main(_app: Starlette):
         from nephthys.tasks.close_stale import close_stale_tickets
         from datetime import datetime
 
-        scheduler.add_job(
-            close_stale_tickets,
-            "interval",
-            hours=1,
-            max_instances=1,
-            next_run_time=datetime.now(),
-        )
+        if env.stale_ticket_days:
+            scheduler.add_job(
+                close_stale_tickets,
+                "interval",
+                hours=1,
+                max_instances=1,
+                next_run_time=datetime.now(),
+            )
+        else:
+            logging.debug("Stale ticket closing has not been configured")
         scheduler.start()
 
         delete_msg_task = asyncio.create_task(process_queue())
diff --git a/nephthys/tasks/close_stale.py b/nephthys/tasks/close_stale.py
index a74154f..3e993bf 100644
--- a/nephthys/tasks/close_stale.py
+++ b/nephthys/tasks/close_stale.py
@@ -91,10 +91,10 @@ async def close_stale_tickets():
 
     stale_ticket_days = env.stale_ticket_days
     if not stale_ticket_days:
-        logging.info("Stale ticket auto-close is disabled (STALE_TICKET_DAYS not set)")
+        logging.warning("Skipping ticket auto-close (STALE_TICKET_DAYS not set)")
         return
 
-    logging.info(f"Closing stale tickets (threshold: {stale_ticket_days} days)...")
+    logging.info(f"Closing stale tickets, threshold_days={stale_ticket_days}")
     await send_heartbeat(
         f"Closing stale tickets (threshold: {stale_ticket_days} days)..."
     )
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ async def close_stale_tickets():
         for i in range(0, len(tickets), batch_size):
             batch = tickets[i : i + batch_size]
             logging.info(
-                f"Processing batch {i // batch_size + 1}/{(len(tickets) + batch_size - 1) // batch_size}"
+                f"Processing stale tickets batch={i // batch_size + 1} batches={(len(tickets) + batch_size - 1) // batch_size}"
             )
 
             for ticket in batch:
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ async def close_stale_tickets():
 
         await send_heartbeat(f"Closed {stale} stale tickets.")
 
-        logging.info(f"Closed {stale} stale tickets.")
+        logging.info(f"Closed stale tickets. count={stale}")
     except Exception as e:
         logging.error(f"Error closing stale tickets: {e}")
         await send_heartbeat(f"Error closing stale tickets: {e}")