diff --git a/backend/scripts/chatbot.py b/backend/scripts/chatbot.py
index bc17fe9990e4948885659c67fed3dabe6d8762c8..7b5f0a890f32555d8c99e541a963128243018947 100755
--- a/backend/scripts/chatbot.py
+++ b/backend/scripts/chatbot.py
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ def get_channel_id(channel):
         if c['name'] == channel:
             print(f"Found channel ID for {channel} is {c['_id']}")
             return c['_id']
+    log.error("No channel found with name {}".format(channel))
 
 
 CHANNEL_ID = get_channel_id(CHANNEL)
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ def run():
     print("Running the monitoring bot system")
     bot = spawn_bot()
     register_handlers(bot)
+    bot.send_message("I am up and running!", CHANNEL_ID)
     bot.run()