diff --git a/packages/fuel-indexer/src/commands/run.rs b/packages/fuel-indexer/src/commands/run.rs
index e8b49c202..79288caee 100644
--- a/packages/fuel-indexer/src/commands/run.rs
+++ b/packages/fuel-indexer/src/commands/run.rs
@@ -88,6 +88,19 @@ pub async fn exec(args: IndexerArgs) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
             ..Default::default()
         };
 
+        println!(
+            r#"
+@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
+
+Warning: Using the --embedded-database flag is experimental and should only be used for local development.
+
+If the --embedded-database flag demonstrates flaky behavior on your machine, or doesn't work altogether, we recommend that you simply use the provided docker compose file here:
+    https://github.com/FuelLabs/fuel-indexer/blob/develop/scripts/docker-compose.yaml.
+
+@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
+"#
+        );
+
         forc_postgres::commands::create::exec(create_db_cmd).await?;
     }
 
diff --git a/plugins/forc-index/src/ops/forc_index_start.rs b/plugins/forc-index/src/ops/forc_index_start.rs
index 92c458a22..fbb25bd6d 100644
--- a/plugins/forc-index/src/ops/forc_index_start.rs
+++ b/plugins/forc-index/src/ops/forc_index_start.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 use crate::cli::StartCommand;
 use fuel_indexer_lib::defaults;
-use std::{ffi::OsStr, process::Command};
+use std::{
+    ffi::OsStr,
+    process::{Command, Stdio},
+};
 use tracing::info;
 
 pub async fn init(command: StartCommand) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
@@ -125,7 +128,7 @@ pub async fn init(command: StartCommand) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
                     ("--postgres-user", postgres_user),
                     ("--postgres-password", postgres_password),
                     ("--postgres-host", postgres_host),
-                    ("--postgres-port", postgres_port),
+                    ("--postgres-port", postgres_port.clone()),
                     ("--postgres-database", postgres_database),
                 ];
 
@@ -149,6 +152,29 @@ pub async fn init(command: StartCommand) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         Ok(child) => {
             let pid = child.id();
             info!("✅ Successfully started the indexer service at PID {pid}");
+
+            // Ensure that the DB actually was created if we passed --embedded-database
+            if embedded_database {
+                std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(1));
+                let port = postgres_port.unwrap_or(defaults::POSTGRES_PORT.to_string());
+                let mut cmd = Command::new("lsof");
+                cmd.arg(&format!("-ti:{}", port))
+                    .stdout(Stdio::piped())
+                    .stderr(Stdio::piped());
+
+                if verbose {
+                    info!("{cmd:?}");
+                }
+
+                match cmd.spawn() {
+                    Ok(child) => {
+                        let output = child.wait_with_output().unwrap();
+                        let pid = String::from_utf8(output.stdout).unwrap();
+                        info!("✅ Successfully confirmed the embedded database process at PID(s) {pid}");
+                    }
+                    Err(e) => panic!("❌ Failed to confirm that --embedded-database was started: {e:?}."),
+                }
+            }
         }
         Err(e) => panic!("❌ Failed to spawn fuel-indexer child process: {e:?}."),
     }