diff --git a/cmd/server.ts b/cmd/server.ts
index 545b26ff..3e635ca4 100644
--- a/cmd/server.ts
+++ b/cmd/server.ts
@@ -100,10 +100,10 @@ To allow outside connections, pass -L 0.0.0.0 as a flag, and put a TLS terminato
     system = serverSystem.system;
     if (options.reindex) {
       console.log("Reindexing space (requested via --reindex flag)");
-      await serverSystem.system.loadedPlugs.get("index")!.invoke(
+      serverSystem.system.loadedPlugs.get("index")!.invoke(
         "reindexSpace",
         [],
-      );
+      ).catch(console.error);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/plugs/search/engine.ts b/plugs/search/engine.ts
index a6b16e05..ce1f276f 100644
--- a/plugs/search/engine.ts
+++ b/plugs/search/engine.ts
@@ -114,6 +114,5 @@ export class SimpleSearchEngine {
     }
     await this.index.delete(keysToDelete);
     await this.reverseIndex.delete(revKeysToDelete);
-    // console.log("Deleted", documentId, keysToDelete, revKeysToDelete);
   }
 }
diff --git a/server/server_system.ts b/server/server_system.ts
index 64fe31a8..ae4db73d 100644
--- a/server/server_system.ts
+++ b/server/server_system.ts
@@ -145,6 +145,17 @@ export class ServerSystem {
         }
       })().catch(console.error);
     });
+
+    // Check if this space was ever indexed before
+    if (!await this.kvStore.has("$initialIndexCompleted")) {
+      console.log("Indexing space for the first time (in the background)");
+      this.system.loadedPlugs.get("index")!.invoke(
+        "reindexSpace",
+        [],
+      ).then(() => {
+        this.kvStore.set("$initialIndexCompleted", true);
+      }).catch(console.error);
+    }
   }
 
   async loadPlugs() {