diff --git a/src/gep/a2aProtocol.js b/src/gep/a2aProtocol.js
index d44f7d3..843f88c 100644
--- a/src/gep/a2aProtocol.js
+++ b/src/gep/a2aProtocol.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
 const crypto = require('crypto');
-const { getGepAssetsDir } = require('./paths');
+const { getGepAssetsDir, getEvolverLogPath } = require('./paths');
 const { computeAssetId } = require('./contentHash');
 const { captureEnvFingerprint } = require('./envFingerprint');
 const os = require('os');
@@ -547,6 +547,28 @@ function sendHeartbeat() {
         _latestAvailableWork = data.available_work;
       }
       _heartbeatConsecutiveFailures = 0;
+      try {
+        var logPath = getEvolverLogPath();
+        fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(logPath), { recursive: true });
+        var now = new Date();
+        try {
+          fs.utimesSync(logPath, now, now);
+        } catch (e) {
+          if (e && e.code === 'ENOENT') {
+            try {
+              var fd = fs.openSync(logPath, 'a');
+              fs.closeSync(fd);
+              fs.utimesSync(logPath, now, now);
+            } catch (innerErr) {
+              console.warn('[Heartbeat] Failed to create evolver_loop.log: ' + innerErr.message);
+            }
+          } else {
+            console.warn('[Heartbeat] Failed to touch evolver_loop.log: ' + e.message);
+          }
+        }
+      } catch (outerErr) {
+        console.warn('[Heartbeat] Failed to ensure evolver_loop.log: ' + outerErr.message);
+      }
       return { ok: true, response: data };
     })
     .catch(function (err) {
diff --git a/src/gep/paths.js b/src/gep/paths.js
index c9b6ad9..129582c 100644
--- a/src/gep/paths.js
+++ b/src/gep/paths.js
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ function getLogsDir() {
   return process.env.EVOLVER_LOGS_DIR || path.join(getWorkspaceRoot(), 'logs');
 }
 
+function getEvolverLogPath() {
+  return path.join(getLogsDir(), 'evolver_loop.log');
+}
+
 function getMemoryDir() {
   return process.env.MEMORY_DIR || path.join(getWorkspaceRoot(), 'memory');
 }
@@ -96,6 +100,7 @@ module.exports = {
   getRepoRoot,
   getWorkspaceRoot,
   getLogsDir,
+  getEvolverLogPath,
   getMemoryDir,
   getEvolutionDir,
   getGepAssetsDir,
diff --git a/src/ops/lifecycle.js b/src/ops/lifecycle.js
index 4f44404..82b6ecb 100644
--- a/src/ops/lifecycle.js
+++ b/src/ops/lifecycle.js
@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@
 const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
 const { execSync, spawn } = require('child_process');
-const { getRepoRoot, getWorkspaceRoot, getLogsDir } = require('../gep/paths');
+const { getRepoRoot, getWorkspaceRoot, getEvolverLogPath } = require('../gep/paths');
 
 var WORKSPACE_ROOT = getWorkspaceRoot();
-var LOG_FILE = path.join(getLogsDir(), 'evolver_loop.log');
+var LOG_FILE = getEvolverLogPath();
 var PID_FILE = path.join(WORKSPACE_ROOT, 'memory', 'evolver_loop.pid');
 var MAX_SILENCE_MS = 30 * 60 * 1000;
 
diff --git a/test/a2aProtocol.test.js b/test/a2aProtocol.test.js
index 7c43263..fc145f7 100644
--- a/test/a2aProtocol.test.js
+++ b/test/a2aProtocol.test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
-const { describe, it } = require('node:test');
+const { describe, it, before, after } = require('node:test');
 const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const os = require('os');
+const path = require('path');
 const {
   PROTOCOL_NAME,
   PROTOCOL_VERSION,
@@ -13,6 +16,7 @@ const {
   buildRevoke,
   isValidProtocolMessage,
   unwrapAssetFromMessage,
+  sendHeartbeat,
 } = require('../src/gep/a2aProtocol');
 
 describe('protocol constants', () => {
@@ -132,3 +136,64 @@ describe('unwrapAssetFromMessage', () => {
     assert.equal(unwrapAssetFromMessage('string'), null);
   });
 });
+
+describe('sendHeartbeat log touch', () => {
+  var tmpDir;
+  var originalFetch;
+  var originalHubUrl;
+  var originalLogsDir;
+
+  before(() => {
+    tmpDir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'evolver-hb-test-'));
+    originalHubUrl = process.env.A2A_HUB_URL;
+    originalLogsDir = process.env.EVOLVER_LOGS_DIR;
+    process.env.A2A_HUB_URL = 'http://localhost:19999';
+    process.env.EVOLVER_LOGS_DIR = tmpDir;
+    originalFetch = global.fetch;
+  });
+
+  after(() => {
+    global.fetch = originalFetch;
+    if (originalHubUrl === undefined) {
+      delete process.env.A2A_HUB_URL;
+    } else {
+      process.env.A2A_HUB_URL = originalHubUrl;
+    }
+    if (originalLogsDir === undefined) {
+      delete process.env.EVOLVER_LOGS_DIR;
+    } else {
+      process.env.EVOLVER_LOGS_DIR = originalLogsDir;
+    }
+    fs.rmSync(tmpDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it('updates mtime of existing evolver_loop.log on successful heartbeat', async () => {
+    var logPath = path.join(tmpDir, 'evolver_loop.log');
+    fs.writeFileSync(logPath, '');
+    var oldTime = new Date(Date.now() - 5000);
+    fs.utimesSync(logPath, oldTime, oldTime);
+
+    global.fetch = async () => ({
+      json: async () => ({ status: 'ok' }),
+    });
+
+    var result = await sendHeartbeat();
+    assert.ok(result.ok, 'heartbeat should succeed');
+
+    var mtime = fs.statSync(logPath).mtimeMs;
+    assert.ok(mtime > oldTime.getTime(), 'mtime should be newer than the pre-set old time');
+  });
+
+  it('creates evolver_loop.log when it does not exist on successful heartbeat', async () => {
+    var logPath = path.join(tmpDir, 'evolver_loop.log');
+    if (fs.existsSync(logPath)) fs.unlinkSync(logPath);
+
+    global.fetch = async () => ({
+      json: async () => ({ status: 'ok' }),
+    });
+
+    var result = await sendHeartbeat();
+    assert.ok(result.ok, 'heartbeat should succeed');
+    assert.ok(fs.existsSync(logPath), 'evolver_loop.log should be created when missing');
+  });
+});