diff --git a/packages/jupyter-ai/jupyter_ai/chat_handlers/base.py b/packages/jupyter-ai/jupyter_ai/chat_handlers/base.py
index 017f342fd..4d4c6807d 100644
--- a/packages/jupyter-ai/jupyter_ai/chat_handlers/base.py
+++ b/packages/jupyter-ai/jupyter_ai/chat_handlers/base.py
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ class BaseChatHandler(Configurable):
     multiple chat handler classes."""
 
     # Class attributes
-    id: ClassVar[str] = "base"
+    id: ClassVar[str] = ...
     """ID for this chat handler; should be unique"""
 
-    name: ClassVar[str] = "Base Chat Handler"  # TODO: make NotImplemented
+    name: ClassVar[str] = ...
     """User-facing name of this handler"""
 
     description: ClassVar[Optional[str]]
@@ -32,15 +32,13 @@ class BaseChatHandler(Configurable):
     optimized for model interpretation, not human-facing help.
     Not necessary when the routing method is "slash_command"."""
 
-    # TODO: make NotImplemented
-    help: ClassVar[
-        str
-    ] = "This is used when the message in the chat interface is not a command"
+    help: ClassVar[str] = ...
     """What this chat handler does, which third-party models it contacts,
     the format of the data it returns to the user, etc. Used in the UI."""
 
-    # TODO: make NotImplemented
-    routing_method: ClassVar[str] = "slash_command"
+    routing_method: ClassVar[str] = ...
+    """The routing method that sends commands to this handler.
+    Either "natural_language" or "slash_command"."""
 
     slash_id: ClassVar[Optional[str]]
     """Slash ID for routing a chat command to this handler. Only one handler
diff --git a/packages/jupyter-ai/jupyter_ai/extension.py b/packages/jupyter-ai/jupyter_ai/extension.py
index 65439d656..aea2396da 100644
--- a/packages/jupyter-ai/jupyter_ai/extension.py
+++ b/packages/jupyter-ai/jupyter_ai/extension.py
@@ -106,7 +106,6 @@ def initialize_settings(self):
 
         eps = entry_points()
         # initialize chat handlers
-        self.log.info("Found entry point groups " + ", ".join(sorted(eps.groups)))
         chat_handler_eps = eps.select(group="jupyter_ai.chat_handlers")
 
         chat_handler_kwargs = {
@@ -157,14 +156,9 @@ def initialize_settings(self):
             # Slash IDs may contain only alphanumerics and underscores.
             slash_id = chat_handler.slash_id
 
-            if slash_id:
-                # TODO: Validate slash ID (/^[A-Za-z0-9_]+$/)
-                command_name = f"/{slash_id}"
-            else:
-                command_name = "default"
-            self.log.info(
-                f"Trying to register chat handler `{chat_handler.id}` with command `{command_name}`"
-            )
+            # TODO: Validate slash ID (/^[A-Za-z0-9_]+$/)
+            # The "default" handler above takes precedence over any "default" command here
+            command_name = f"/{chat_handler.slash_id}" if chat_handler.slash_id else "default"
 
             if command_name in jai_chat_handlers:
                 self.log.error(
@@ -179,8 +173,6 @@ def initialize_settings(self):
 
         self.settings["jai_chat_handlers"] = jai_chat_handlers
 
-        retriever = Retriever(learn_chat_handler=learn_chat_handler)
-        ask_chat_handler = AskChatHandler(**chat_handler_kwargs, retriever=retriever)
         latency_ms = round((time.time() - start) * 1000)
         self.log.info(f"Initialized Jupyter AI server extension in {latency_ms} ms.")