diff --git a/narwhal/executor/src/subscriber.rs b/narwhal/executor/src/subscriber.rs
index 0ce4c767ce3a1..0810b945fbd11 100644
--- a/narwhal/executor/src/subscriber.rs
+++ b/narwhal/executor/src/subscriber.rs
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ impl<Network: SubscriberNetwork> Fetcher<Network> {
                 return Some(batch);
             }
             Ok(None) => debug!("Payload {} not found locally", digest),
-            Err(err) => error!("Error communicating with out own worker: {}", err),
+            Err(err) => error!("Error communicating with own worker: {}", err),
         }
         None
     }
diff --git a/narwhal/primary/src/core.rs b/narwhal/primary/src/core.rs
index bd9a781e72b39..92e825efbc05f 100644
--- a/narwhal/primary/src/core.rs
+++ b/narwhal/primary/src/core.rs
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ impl Core {
         self
     }
 
-    #[instrument(level = "debug", skip_all, fields(header_digest = ?header.digest()))]
+    #[instrument(level = "debug", skip_all, fields(header_digest = ?header.digest(), round = ?header.round))]
     async fn process_own_header(&mut self, header: Header) -> DagResult<()> {
         if header.epoch < self.committee.epoch() {
             debug!("Proposer outdated");
@@ -272,12 +272,15 @@ impl Core {
     #[async_recursion]
     #[instrument(level = "debug", skip_all, fields(header_digest = ?header.digest()))]
     async fn process_header_internal(&mut self, header: &Header, signed: bool) -> DagResult<()> {
-        debug!("Processing {:?} round:{:?}", header, header.round);
         let header_source = if self.name.eq(&header.author) {
             "own"
         } else {
             "other"
         };
+        debug!(
+            "Processing {header_source} header {:?} round:{:?}",
+            header, header.round
+        );
 
         // Indicate that we are processing this header.
         let inserted = self
@@ -316,10 +319,7 @@ impl Core {
                 .headers_suspended
                 .with_label_values(&[&header.epoch.to_string(), "missing_parents"])
                 .inc();
-            debug!(
-                "Processing of {} suspended: missing parent(s)",
-                header.digest()
-            );
+            debug!("Processing header {header} suspended: missing parent(s)");
             return Ok(());
         }
 
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ impl Core {
                 .headers_suspended
                 .with_label_values(&[&header.epoch.to_string(), "missing_payload"])
                 .inc();
-            debug!("Processing of {header} suspended: missing payload");
+            debug!("Processing header {header} suspended: missing payload");
             return Ok(());
         }
 
@@ -449,9 +449,9 @@ impl Core {
     }
 
     #[async_recursion]
-    #[instrument(level = "debug", skip_all, fields(vote_digest = ?vote.digest()))]
+    #[instrument(level = "debug", skip_all, fields(vote_digest = ?vote.digest(), round = ?vote.round, from = ?vote.author))]
     async fn process_vote(&mut self, vote: Vote) -> DagResult<()> {
-        debug!("Processing {:?}", vote);
+        debug!("Processing vote {:?}", vote);
 
         // Add it to the votes' aggregator and try to make a new certificate.
         if let Some(certificate) =
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ impl Core {
         }
 
         debug!(
-            "Processing {:?} round:{:?}",
+            "Processing certificate {:?} round:{:?}",
             certificate,
             certificate.round()
         );
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ impl Core {
             && !self.synchronizer.check_parents(&certificate).await?
         {
             debug!(
-                "Processing of {:?} suspended: missing ancestors",
+                "Processing certificate {:?} suspended: missing ancestors",
                 certificate
             );
             self.metrics
diff --git a/narwhal/primary/src/header_waiter.rs b/narwhal/primary/src/header_waiter.rs
index 0237b3623e48f..33b8525007841 100644
--- a/narwhal/primary/src/header_waiter.rs
+++ b/narwhal/primary/src/header_waiter.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ use tokio::{
     task::JoinHandle,
     time::Instant,
 };
-use tracing::{debug, error, info};
+use tracing::{debug, error, info, warn};
 use types::{
     metered_channel::{Receiver, Sender},
     BatchDigest, CertificateDigest, GetCertificatesRequest, GetCertificatesResponse, Header,
@@ -189,17 +189,25 @@ impl HeaderWaiter {
                     let certificates = result
                         .map_err(|e| HeaderError::NetworkError(format!("{e:?}"), deliver.clone()))?
                         .certificates;
+                    debug!("HeaderWaiter: GetCertificates returned successfully for parents of {} num={}", deliver.clone(), certificates.len());
                     for certificate in certificates {
                         tx_primary_messages
                             .send(PrimaryMessage::Certificate(certificate))
                             .await
                             .map_err(|_| HeaderError::ChannelFull(deliver.clone()))?;
                     }
+                } else {
+                    debug!("HeaderWaiter: No GetCertificates call needed for {}", deliver.clone());
                 }
             },
             _ = &mut cancel => return Ok(deliver.clone()),
         }
         // Wait on certificates to show up in the store so we know they're processed by Core.
+        debug!(
+            "HeaderWaiter: Waiting for parents of {} to become available in store. num_missing={}",
+            deliver.clone(),
+            missing.len()
+        );
         let waiting: Vec<_> = missing.into_iter().map(|x| store.notify_read(x)).collect();
         tokio::select! {
             result = try_join_all(waiting) => {
@@ -250,7 +258,6 @@ impl HeaderWaiter {
                                     .worker(&self.name, &worker_id)
                                     .expect("Author of valid header is not in the worker cache")
                                     .name;
-
                                 let message = WorkerSynchronizeMessage{digests, target: author.clone()};
                                 synchronize_handles.push(self.network.send(worker_name, &message).await);
                             }
@@ -272,7 +279,7 @@ impl HeaderWaiter {
                         }
 
                         WaiterMessage::SyncParents(missing, header) => {
-                            debug!("Synching the parents of {header}");
+                            debug!("HeaderWaiter: Synching the parents of {header}");
                             let header_digest = header.digest();
                             let round = header.round;
                             let author = header.author.clone();
@@ -295,8 +302,10 @@ impl HeaderWaiter {
                                 });
                             }
                             let network_future: OptionFuture<_> = if requires_sync.is_empty() {
+                                debug!("HeaderWaiter: sync requests inflight for missing parents of {header}");
                                 None
                             } else {
+                                debug!("HeaderWaiter: sending GetCertificates to {author}, to fetch missing parents {:?} of {header}", requires_sync);
                                 let network = self.network.network();
                                 let target = self.committee.network_key(&author).unwrap();
                                 let message = GetCertificatesRequest{digests: requires_sync};
@@ -333,9 +342,12 @@ impl HeaderWaiter {
                         },
                         Ok(header) => {
                             self.cleanup_pending_requests(&header);
-
                             // Ok to drop the header if core is overloaded.
-                            let _ = self.tx_headers_loopback.try_send(header);
+                            if let Err(e) = self.tx_headers_loopback.try_send(header.clone()) {
+                                warn!("Failed to loop back ready header {header} {e}");
+                            } else {
+                                debug!("Header looped back to core: {header}");
+                            }
                         },
                     };
                 },  // This request has been canceled when result is None.