diff --git a/runtime/src/comms.rs b/runtime/src/comms.rs
index 8d3ddf9a..5f15bb95 100644
--- a/runtime/src/comms.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/comms.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use core::fmt;
 use core::cmp::min;
 use core::cell::RefCell;
 use alloc::rc::Rc;
-use log::{warn, error};
+use log::{debug, warn, error};
 
 use num_derive::{FromPrimitive, ToPrimitive};
 use num_traits::{FromPrimitive, ToPrimitive};
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ async fn write_header(stream: &TcpStream, reply: Reply) -> Result<()> {
 
 async fn handle_connection(stream: &TcpStream, control: Rc<RefCell<kernel::Control>>) -> Result<()> {
     expect(&stream, b"ARTIQ coredev\n").await?;
+    debug!("received connection");
     loop {
         if !expect(&stream, &[0x5a, 0x5a, 0x5a, 0x5a]).await? {
             return Err(Error::UnexpectedPattern)
diff --git a/runtime/src/kernel.rs b/runtime/src/kernel.rs
index 7db95557..d20d2d3c 100644
--- a/runtime/src/kernel.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/kernel.rs
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ pub fn main_core1() {
                             ptr::write_bytes(__bss_start as *mut u8, 0, (_end - __bss_start) as usize);
                         }
                         current_modinit = Some(__modinit__);
+                        debug!("kernel loaded");
                         core1_tx.send(Message::LoadCompleted)
                     },
                     Err(error) => {
@@ -134,13 +135,13 @@ pub fn main_core1() {
                 }
             },
             Message::StartRequest => {
-                debug!("starting");
+                debug!("kernel starting");
                 if let Some(__modinit__) = current_modinit {
                     unsafe {
                         (mem::transmute::<u32, fn()>(__modinit__))();
                     }
                 }
-                debug!("stopping");
+                debug!("kernel terminated");
             }
             _ => error!("Core1 received unexpected message: {:?}", message),
         }