diff --git a/src/selfplay/loop.cc b/src/selfplay/loop.cc
index a0a03d7..6bc4736 100644
--- a/src/selfplay/loop.cc
+++ b/src/selfplay/loop.cc
@@ -905,7 +905,7 @@ void ProcessFile(const std::string& file, SyzygyTablebase* tablebase,
           const auto& board = history.Last().GetBoard();
           if (board.castlings().no_legal_castle() &&
               (board.ours() | board.theirs()).count() <= 3 &&
-              board.pawns().empty()) {
+              tablebase->max_cardinality() >= 3 && board.pawns().empty()) {
             ProbeState state;
             WDLScore wdl = tablebase->probe_wdl(history.Last(), &state);
             // Only fail state means the WDL is wrong, probe_wdl may produce
@@ -1239,8 +1239,9 @@ void RescoreLoop::RunLoop() {
   if (!tablebase.init(
           options_.GetOptionsDict().Get<std::string>(kSyzygyTablebaseId)) ||
       tablebase.max_cardinality() < 3) {
-    std::cerr << "FAILED TO LOAD SYZYGY" << std::endl;
-    return;
+    std::cerr << "No Syzygy tablebases loaded; continuing without tablebase "
+                 "rescoring. Positions and moves are unaffected."
+              << std::endl;
   }
   auto dtmPaths =
       options_.GetOptionsDict().Get<std::string>(kGaviotaTablebaseId);