diff --git a/hooks/post_gen_project.py b/hooks/post_gen_project.py
index 7b8f646..84b8533 100644
--- a/hooks/post_gen_project.py
+++ b/hooks/post_gen_project.py
@@ -36,28 +36,36 @@ def init_git():
         git.wait()
 
 def init_proto():
-    # Order matters: download → generate (needs buf plugins) → mock (needs generated
-    # interfaces) → tidy (needs all imports including generated mocks to resolve)
+    # Order matters: download → generate (needs buf plugins) → tidy -e (reconcile
+    # indirect deps; -e ignores missing mock packages) → mock (needs generated
+    # interfaces) → tidy (final, needs all imports including mocks to resolve)
     print("Starting proto initialization...")
-    print("Step 1/4: Fetching Go modules (this might take a few minutes)...")
+    print("Step 1/5: Fetching Go modules (this might take a few minutes)...")
     code = Popen(["go", "mod", "download", "all"], cwd=PROJECT_DIRECTORY).wait()
     if code != 0:
         print("Error: Failed to fetch Go modules.")
         sys.exit(code)
 
-    print("Step 2/4: Running 'make generate'...")
+    print("Step 2/5: Running 'make generate'...")
     code = Popen(["make", "generate"], cwd=PROJECT_DIRECTORY).wait()
     if code != 0:
         print("Error: 'make generate' failed.")
         sys.exit(code)
 
-    print("Step 3/4: Running 'make mock'...")
+    print("Step 3/5: Tidying Go modules (pre-mock)...")
+    # -e flag ignores errors from missing mock packages (generated next step).
+    # Non-zero exit is expected (mock imports don't resolve yet) but logged for debugging.
+    code = Popen(["go", "mod", "tidy", "-e"], cwd=PROJECT_DIRECTORY).wait()
+    if code != 0:
+        print("Warning: pre-mock 'go mod tidy -e' exited with code %d (expected if mock packages don't exist yet)." % code)
+
+    print("Step 4/5: Running 'make mock'...")
     code = Popen(["make", "mock"], cwd=PROJECT_DIRECTORY).wait()
     if code != 0:
         print("Error: 'make mock' failed.")
         sys.exit(code)
 
-    print("Step 4/4: Tidying Go modules...")
+    print("Step 5/5: Tidying Go modules (final)...")
     code = Popen(["go", "mod", "tidy"], cwd=PROJECT_DIRECTORY).wait()
     if code != 0:
         print("Error: 'go mod tidy' failed.")
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/AGENTS.md b/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/AGENTS.md
index bc9ab2d..3c88a6b 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/AGENTS.md
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/AGENTS.md
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ make run-docker      # Run in Docker container
 ## Key Patterns
 
 - **gRPC-first**: All endpoints are defined in `proto/{{cookiecutter.app_name|lower}}.proto`. HTTP/JSON routes are auto-generated via grpc-gateway annotations. Never create HTTP handlers manually.
-- **Context propagation**: `context.Context` is the first parameter everywhere. Interceptors propagate trace IDs, log fields, and options through it.
+- **Context propagation**: `context.Context` is the first parameter everywhere. Interceptors propagate trace IDs, log fields, and options through it. Service code uses `slog.LogAttrs(ctx, ...)` for logging; ColdBrew's Handler automatically injects context fields. Use `github.com/go-coldbrew/log.AddAttrsToContext` (imported as `cblog` in service.go) to add typed context fields.
 - **Configuration**: All config via environment variables using `envconfig`. Add fields to `config/config.go` with struct tags. See [ColdBrew config docs](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/go-coldbrew/core/config#Config) for framework options.
 - **Authentication**: JWT and API key auth are built in via `service/auth/`. Config-controlled — set `JWT_SECRET` or `API_KEYS` env vars to enable. Health/ready/reflection RPCs bypass auth automatically. See [Authentication docs](https://docs.coldbrew.cloud/howto/auth/).
 - **Health checks**: Kubernetes liveness (`/healthcheck`) and readiness (`/readycheck`) are built-in. Service starts as NOT_SERVING until `SetReady()` is called.
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/config/config.go b/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/config/config.go
index 5ccd3d7..d5e360b 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/config/config.go
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/config/config.go
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@ package config
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"log/slog"
 
 	cbConfig "github.com/go-coldbrew/core/config"
-	"github.com/go-coldbrew/log"
 	"github.com/kelseyhightower/envconfig"
 	"{{cookiecutter.source_path}}/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/service/auth"
 )
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func init() {
 		if defaultConfig.PanicOnConfigError {
 			panic(err)
 		} else {
-			log.Error(context.Background(), "msg", "error while loading config", "err", err)
+			slog.LogAttrs(context.Background(), slog.LevelError, "error while loading config", slog.Any("err", err))
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/go.mod b/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/go.mod
index 0af9763..0e554e3 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/go.mod
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/go.mod
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ tool (
 
 require (
 	buf.build/gen/go/bufbuild/protovalidate/protocolbuffers/go v1.36.11-20260209202127-80ab13bee0bf.1
-	github.com/go-coldbrew/core v0.1.45
-	github.com/go-coldbrew/errors v0.2.13
-	github.com/go-coldbrew/interceptors v0.1.20
-	github.com/go-coldbrew/log v0.3.1
+	github.com/go-coldbrew/core v0.1.51
+	github.com/go-coldbrew/errors v0.2.15
+	github.com/go-coldbrew/interceptors v0.1.25
+	github.com/go-coldbrew/log v0.4.1
 	github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v5 v5.3.0
 	github.com/grpc-ecosystem/go-grpc-middleware/v2 v2.3.3
 	github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/v2 v2.28.0
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/ghostiam/protogetter v0.3.20 // indirect
 	github.com/go-coldbrew/hystrixprometheus v0.1.2 // indirect
 	github.com/go-coldbrew/options v0.3.0 // indirect
-	github.com/go-coldbrew/tracing v0.2.1 // indirect
+	github.com/go-coldbrew/tracing v0.2.2 // indirect
 	github.com/go-critic/go-critic v0.14.3 // indirect
 	github.com/go-logr/logr v1.4.3 // indirect
 	github.com/go-logr/stdr v1.2.2 // indirect
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/main.go b/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/main.go
index 8e15db2..80a918c 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/main.go
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/main.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"log/slog"
 	"net/http"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -11,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"{{cookiecutter.source_path}}/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/service/auth"
 	"{{cookiecutter.source_path}}/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/version"
 	"github.com/go-coldbrew/core"
-	"github.com/go-coldbrew/log"
 	"github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/v2/runtime"
 	"github.com/swaggest/swgui"
 	"github.com/swaggest/swgui/v5emb"
@@ -142,5 +142,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	// Start the service and wait for it to exit
 	// This is a blocking call and will not return until the service exits completely
-	log.Error(context.Background(), cb.Run())
+	if err := cb.Run(); err != nil {
+		slog.LogAttrs(context.Background(), slog.LevelError, "service exited", slog.Any("err", err))
+	}
 }
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/service/auth/auth.go b/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/service/auth/auth.go
index 3ce2c93..f3f4e31 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/service/auth/auth.go
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/service/auth/auth.go
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ package auth
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"log/slog"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/go-coldbrew/interceptors"
-	"github.com/go-coldbrew/log"
 	"github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v5"
 	grpcauth "github.com/grpc-ecosystem/go-grpc-middleware/v2/interceptors/auth"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func withAuthLogging(fn grpcauth.AuthFunc) grpcauth.AuthFunc {
 		authCtx, err := fn(ctx)
 		if err != nil {
 			method, _ := grpc.Method(ctx)
-			log.Warn(ctx, "msg", "auth failed", "method", method, "err", err)
+			slog.LogAttrs(ctx, slog.LevelWarn, "auth failed", slog.String("method", method), slog.Any("err", err))
 		}
 		return authCtx, err
 	}
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func eitherAuthFunc(authFuncs ...grpcauth.AuthFunc) grpcauth.AuthFunc {
 			lastErr = err
 		}
 		method, _ := grpc.Method(ctx)
-		log.Warn(ctx, "msg", "auth failed: all methods exhausted", "method", method, "err", lastErr)
+		slog.LogAttrs(ctx, slog.LevelWarn, "auth failed: all methods exhausted", slog.String("method", method), slog.Any("err", lastErr))
 		return nil, lastErr
 	}
 }
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/service/service.go b/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/service/service.go
index 51e6c46..73079fb 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/service/service.go
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/service/service.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package service
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"log/slog"
 	"time"
 
 	"{{cookiecutter.source_path}}/{{cookiecutter.app_name}}/config"
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/emptypb"
 	"google.golang.org/genproto/googleapis/api/httpbody"
 	"github.com/go-coldbrew/errors"
-	"github.com/go-coldbrew/log"
+	cblog "github.com/go-coldbrew/log"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/health"
 )
 
@@ -42,8 +43,8 @@ func (s *svc) HealthCheck(ctx context.Context, _ *emptypb.Empty) (*httpbody.Http
 }
 
 // Echo returns the message with the prefix added
-// TODO: remove this, since this is just to demonstrate how to use endpoints and config
-func (s *svc) Echo(_ context.Context, req *proto.EchoRequest) (resp *proto.EchoResponse, err error) {
+// TODO: remove this, since this is just to demonstrate how to use endpoints, config, and logging
+func (s *svc) Echo(ctx context.Context, req *proto.EchoRequest) (resp *proto.EchoResponse, err error) {
 	start := time.Now()
 	outcome := metrics.OutcomeSuccess
 	defer func() {
@@ -53,6 +54,13 @@ func (s *svc) Echo(_ context.Context, req *proto.EchoRequest) (resp *proto.EchoR
 		s.monitoring.IncEchoTotal(outcome)
 		s.monitoring.ObserveEchoDuration(outcome, time.Since(start))
 	}()
+
+	// Add typed context fields — these appear in all logs for this request.
+	// ColdBrew interceptors already add trace_id and grpcMethod automatically.
+	ctx = cblog.AddAttrsToContext(ctx, slog.Int("echo_msg_len", len(req.GetMsg())))
+
+	slog.LogAttrs(ctx, slog.LevelInfo, "echo requested")
+
 	return &proto.EchoResponse{
 		Msg: fmt.Sprintf("%s: %s", s.prefix, req.GetMsg()),
 	}, nil
@@ -62,7 +70,7 @@ func (s *svc) Echo(_ context.Context, req *proto.EchoRequest) (resp *proto.EchoR
 // TODO: remove this, since this is just to demonstrate how to use endpoints and config
 func (s *svc) Error(ctx context.Context, req *proto.EchoRequest) (*proto.EchoResponse, error) {
 	err := errors.New("This is an Error")
-	log.Info(ctx, "error requested")
+	slog.LogAttrs(ctx, slog.LevelInfo, "error requested")
 	return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "endpoint error")
 }