diff --git a/src/patchsim/cli.py b/src/patchsim/cli.py
index 8ba1268..75b022d 100644
--- a/src/patchsim/cli.py
+++ b/src/patchsim/cli.py
@@ -45,11 +45,13 @@ def _emit_json(payload: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
 
 
 def _cmd_run(config_path: str, *, json_output: bool = False) -> dict[str, Any]:
-    logging.info("Starting PatchSim simulation...")
+    if not json_output:
+        print("Starting PatchSim simulation...")
     config = load_config(config_path)
     net, y0, patches, num_patches = setup_simulation(config)
     summary = run_simulation(config, config["ModelName"], net, y0, patches, num_patches)
-    logging.info("Simulation completed successfully.")
+    if not json_output:
+        print("Simulation completed successfully.")
     return {"ok": True, "config": config_path, **summary} if json_output else summary
 
 
@@ -59,7 +61,8 @@ def _cmd_validate(config_path: str, *, json_output: bool = False, schema: bool =
 
     config = load_config(config_path)
     _net, _y0, patches, num_patches = setup_simulation(config)
-    logging.info("Configuration is valid: %s", config_path)
+    if not json_output:
+        print(f"Configuration is valid: {config_path}")
     if json_output:
         return {
             "ok": True,
@@ -82,9 +85,33 @@ def _copy_template_tree(template_node, target_path: Path) -> None:
     target_path.write_bytes(template_node.read_bytes())
 
 
-def _render_template_config(project_name: str, template_name: str) -> str:
-    config = get_init_template_config(template_name, project_name)
-    return yaml.safe_dump(config, sort_keys=False)
+def _write_seed_for_template(project_dir: Path, config: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
+    """Write a seed CSV whose columns match the template's compartments.
+
+    The scaffold ships a single patch-population file; seed every patch fully
+    susceptible and place one infectious individual in the first patch.
+    """
+    import pandas as pd
+
+    compartments = list(config.get("compartments") or ["S", "I", "R"])
+    patch_df = pd.read_csv(project_dir / config["PatchFile"])
+    patch_col = next(c for c in patch_df.columns if c.lower() == "patch")
+    pop_col = next(c for c in patch_df.columns if c.lower() == "population")
+
+    susceptible = "S" if "S" in compartments else compartments[0]
+    infectious = "I" if "I" in compartments else compartments[-1]
+
+    rows = []
+    for idx, record in patch_df.iterrows():
+        seeded = 1 if idx == 0 else 0
+        row = {"patch": record[patch_col], **{c: 0 for c in compartments}}
+        row[infectious] = seeded
+        row[susceptible] = int(record[pop_col]) - seeded
+        rows.append(row)
+
+    seed_path = project_dir / config["SeedFile"]
+    seed_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    pd.DataFrame(rows)[["patch", *compartments]].to_csv(seed_path, index=False)
 
 
 def _cmd_init(name: str, force: bool = False, template: str = "sir") -> None:
@@ -114,10 +141,12 @@ def _cmd_init(name: str, force: bool = False, template: str = "sir") -> None:
     template_root = resources.files("patchsim").joinpath("templates", "project")
     _copy_template_tree(template_root, project_dir)
 
+    template_config = get_init_template_config(template, project_dir.name)
     config_path = project_dir / "config.yaml"
-    config_path.write_text(_render_template_config(project_dir.name, template), encoding="utf-8")
+    config_path.write_text(yaml.safe_dump(template_config, sort_keys=False), encoding="utf-8")
+    _write_seed_for_template(project_dir, template_config)
 
-    logging.info("Created project scaffold at: %s", project_dir)
+    print(f"Created project scaffold at: {project_dir}")
 
 
 def _list_builtin_models() -> list[dict[str, str]]:
@@ -127,15 +156,16 @@ def _list_builtin_models() -> list[dict[str, str]]:
 def _cmd_list_models(*, json_output: bool = False) -> list[dict[str, str]]:
     models = _list_builtin_models()
     if not models:
-        logging.info("No built-in models found.")
+        if not json_output:
+            print("No built-in models found.")
         return []
 
     if json_output:
         return models
 
-    logging.info("Built-in models and templates:")
+    print("Built-in models and templates:")
     for model in models:
-        logging.info("- %s (%s)", model["name"], model["kind"])
+        print(f"- {model['name']} ({model['kind']})")
     return models
 
 
diff --git a/src/patchsim/core/model_runner.py b/src/patchsim/core/model_runner.py
index e66febd..4cf1dc5 100644
--- a/src/patchsim/core/model_runner.py
+++ b/src/patchsim/core/model_runner.py
@@ -59,4 +59,4 @@ def solve(self, y0, t_range):
     def visualize(self, t, results, patches, outdir, model_name):
         from patchsim.utils.viz import plot_patch_subplots
 
-        plot_patch_subplots(t, results, patches, outdir, model_name)
+        plot_patch_subplots(t, results, patches, outdir, model_name, compartments=self.compartments)
diff --git a/src/patchsim/core/simulation.py b/src/patchsim/core/simulation.py
index 56eb725..48ddc3a 100644
--- a/src/patchsim/core/simulation.py
+++ b/src/patchsim/core/simulation.py
@@ -101,12 +101,7 @@ def get_config_schema() -> dict[str, Any]:
 
 def get_model_catalog() -> list[dict[str, str]]:
     """Return built-in model references and YAML templates for the CLI."""
-    catalog: list[dict[str, str]] = [
-        {"name": "ka_fmd_sirsv_discrete", "kind": "python"},
-    ]
-    for template_name in sorted(MODEL_TEMPLATE_CONFIGS):
-        catalog.append({"name": template_name, "kind": "yaml-template"})
-    return catalog
+    return [{"name": name, "kind": "yaml-template"} for name in sorted(MODEL_TEMPLATE_CONFIGS)]
 
 
 def get_available_template_names() -> list[str]:
@@ -178,10 +173,17 @@ def load_config(config_path: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
 
 def setup_simulation(config: dict[str, Any]) -> tuple[NetworkModel, dict[str, float], list, int]:
     """Set up the simulation model and initial conditions."""
-    # Load patch data
+    # Load patch data (accept either case for the 'patch'/'population' columns)
     patch_df = pd.read_csv(config["PatchFile"])
-    patches = patch_df["patch"].tolist()
-    populations = patch_df.set_index("patch")["Population"].to_dict()
+    patch_col = next((c for c in patch_df.columns if c.lower() == "patch"), None)
+    pop_col = next((c for c in patch_df.columns if c.lower() == "population"), None)
+    if patch_col is None or pop_col is None:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"PatchFile ({config['PatchFile']}) must have 'patch' and 'population' columns.\n"
+            f"Found columns: {list(patch_df.columns)}"
+        )
+    patches = patch_df[patch_col].tolist()
+    populations = patch_df.set_index(patch_col)[pop_col].to_dict()
 
     for p, pop in populations.items():
         if pop <= 0:
diff --git a/src/patchsim/utils/viz.py b/src/patchsim/utils/viz.py
index cea71e5..025fc84 100644
--- a/src/patchsim/utils/viz.py
+++ b/src/patchsim/utils/viz.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 
 
-def plot_patch_subplots(t_range, out_ode, patches, output_dir, model_name, patch_parameters=None):
+def plot_patch_subplots(t_range, out_ode, patches, output_dir, model_name, patch_parameters=None, compartments=None):
     """
     Plots all patches as subplots in a single figure and saves the figure.
     """
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ def plot_patch_subplots(t_range, out_ode, patches, output_dir, model_name, patch
     axes = axes.flatten() if n > 1 else [axes]
     for i, patch in enumerate(patches):
         ax = axes[i]
-        for c in ["S", "I", "R"]:
+        # Plot the model's actual compartments; fall back to those present for this patch.
+        comps = compartments or [k[: -len(f"_{i}")] for k in out_ode if k.endswith(f"_{i}")]
+        for c in comps:
             ax.plot(t_range, out_ode[f"{c}_{i}"], label=c)
         title = f"Patch {patch} (ODE)"
         if patch_parameters and patch in patch_parameters:
@@ -33,5 +35,5 @@ def plot_patch_subplots(t_range, out_ode, patches, output_dir, model_name, patch
         fig.delaxes(axes[j])
     plt.tight_layout()
     os.makedirs(output_dir, exist_ok=True)
-    plt.savefig(os.path.join(output_dir, f"all_patches_{model_name}_ode.png"))
+    plt.savefig(os.path.join(output_dir, f"patch_timeseries_{model_name}_ode.png"))
     plt.close()
diff --git a/tests/test_cli_e2e.py b/tests/test_cli_e2e.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ef07443
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_cli_e2e.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import json
+import subprocess
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+TEMPLATES = ["sir", "sis", "sirs", "seir"]
+
+
+def _patchsim(*args, cwd=None):
+    return subprocess.run(["patchsim", *args], capture_output=True, text=True, cwd=cwd)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("template", TEMPLATES)
+def test_init_then_run_produces_existing_artifacts(tmp_path, template):
+    """Every built-in template must scaffold AND run end-to-end, and the artifact
+    paths reported by `run --json` must actually exist on disk."""
+    proj = tmp_path / f"{template}-proj"
+    init = _patchsim("init", str(proj), "--template", template)
+    assert init.returncode == 0, init.stderr
+
+    run = _patchsim("run", "-c", "config.yaml", "--json", cwd=str(proj))
+    assert run.returncode == 0, f"`run` failed for template {template}:\n{run.stderr}"
+
+    summary = json.loads(run.stdout)
+    assert Path(summary["csv_path"]).is_file(), f"reported csv missing: {summary['csv_path']}"
+    assert Path(summary["plot_path"]).is_file(), f"reported plot missing: {summary['plot_path']}"
+
+
+def test_list_models_output_is_clean():
+    """Human-facing `list-models` output matches the documented format and does not
+    leak logging decoration (timestamps / source-file references)."""
+    res = _patchsim("list-models")
+    assert res.returncode == 0
+    assert "- sir (yaml-template)" in res.stdout
+    assert "- sis (yaml-template)" in res.stdout
+    combined = res.stdout + res.stderr
+    assert "cli.py" not in combined
+    assert "INFO" not in combined
+
+
+def test_list_models_excludes_unimplemented_models():
+    """The catalog only advertises models that actually exist (no dangling entries)."""
+    res = _patchsim("list-models", "--json")
+    assert res.returncode == 0
+    names = {m["name"] for m in json.loads(res.stdout)["models"]}
+    assert names == {"seir", "sir", "sirs", "sis"}
diff --git a/tests/test_simulation_sanity.py b/tests/test_simulation_sanity.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..41aa507
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_simulation_sanity.py
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+"""Empirical sanity checks on simulation dynamics.
+
+These lock in epidemiologically-correct behaviour for a multi-patch SIRS model
+(waning immunity) so future changes can't silently break the maths.
+"""
+
+import numpy as np
+import pandas as pd
+import yaml
+
+from patchsim.core.model_runner import Model
+from patchsim.core.simulation import load_config, setup_simulation
+
+
+def _solve_sirs(tmp_path, *, waning=0.02, tmax=160, npatches=5, seed_patch=0):
+    """Build a multi-patch SIRS scenario with a ring network and solve it."""
+    data = tmp_path / "data"
+    for sub in ("patch", "seeds", "networks"):
+        (data / sub).mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+    patches = [f"P{i}" for i in range(npatches)]
+    pops = [1000 * (i + 1) for i in range(npatches)]
+    pd.DataFrame({"patch": patches, "Population": pops}).to_csv(data / "patch" / "p.csv", index=False)
+
+    infected = [5 if i == seed_patch else 0 for i in range(npatches)]
+    pd.DataFrame(
+        {
+            "patch": patches,
+            "S": [p - inf for p, inf in zip(pops, infected, strict=True)],
+            "I": infected,
+            "R": [0] * npatches,
+        }
+    ).to_csv(data / "seeds" / "s.csv", index=False)
+
+    rows = []
+    for i, src in enumerate(patches):
+        rows.append((0, src, src, 0.8))
+        rows.append((0, src, patches[(i + 1) % npatches], 0.1))
+        rows.append((0, src, patches[(i - 1) % npatches], 0.1))
+    pd.DataFrame(rows, columns=["day", "source", "target", "weight"]).to_csv(data / "networks" / "n.csv", index=False)
+
+    cfg = {
+        "ModelName": "sanity",
+        "PatchFile": str(data / "patch" / "p.csv"),
+        "SeedFile": str(data / "seeds" / "s.csv"),
+        "NetworkFile": str(data / "networks" / "n.csv"),
+        "OutputDir": str(tmp_path / "out"),
+        "TMax": tmax,
+        "compartments": ["S", "I", "R"],
+        "Parameters": {"beta": 0.35, "gamma": 0.1, "waning": waning},
+        "Transitions": {"S -> I": "beta", "I -> R": "gamma * I", "R -> S": "waning * R"},
+    }
+    cfg_path = tmp_path / "config.yaml"
+    cfg_path.write_text(yaml.safe_dump(cfg))
+
+    config = load_config(str(cfg_path))
+    net, y0, patches_out, num_patches = setup_simulation(config)
+    model = Model(net, compartments=list(net.base_model.compartments))
+    t = np.arange(tmax, dtype=float)
+    return model.solve(y0, t), num_patches, t
+
+
+def _total(out, num_patches, comp):
+    return np.sum([out[f"{comp}_{i}"] for i in range(num_patches)], axis=0)
+
+
+def test_population_is_conserved(tmp_path):
+    out, n, t = _solve_sirs(tmp_path)
+    total = sum(_total(out, n, c) for c in ("S", "I", "R"))
+    assert np.max(np.abs(total - total[0])) < 1e-3 * total[0]
+
+
+def test_no_compartment_goes_negative(tmp_path):
+    out, n, t = _solve_sirs(tmp_path)
+    for key, series in out.items():
+        assert np.min(series) > -1e-6, f"{key} went negative"
+
+
+def test_epidemic_grows_from_seed(tmp_path):
+    out, n, t = _solve_sirs(tmp_path)
+    total_I = _total(out, n, "I")
+    assert total_I.max() > 5 * total_I[0]
+
+
+def test_infection_spreads_through_network_to_unseeded_patch(tmp_path):
+    out, n, t = _solve_sirs(tmp_path, seed_patch=0)
+    assert out["I_2"][0] == 0  # P2 starts with no infections
+    assert out["I_2"].max() > 1.0  # but gets infected via the network
+
+
+def test_waning_immunity_sustains_endemic_infection(tmp_path):
+    with_waning, n, t = _solve_sirs(tmp_path, waning=0.05, tmax=200)
+    without_waning, n2, t2 = _solve_sirs(tmp_path, waning=0.0, tmax=200)
+    final_with = sum(with_waning[f"I_{i}"][-1] for i in range(n))
+    final_without = sum(without_waning[f"I_{i}"][-1] for i in range(n2))
+    assert final_with > final_without  # waning replenishes S -> infection persists
+    assert final_with > 1.0
diff --git a/tests/test_smoke.py b/tests/test_smoke.py
index b2f6a83..2054f01 100644
--- a/tests/test_smoke.py
+++ b/tests/test_smoke.py
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ def test_cli_list_models():
     )
     assert result.returncode == 0
     output = (result.stdout + result.stderr).lower()
-    assert "ka_fmd_sirsv_discrete" in output
     assert "sir (yaml-template)" in output
     assert "sis (yaml-template)" in output