diff --git a/protocol/connections/engine.go b/protocol/connections/engine.go
index 0067384..d1ab595 100644
--- a/protocol/connections/engine.go
+++ b/protocol/connections/engine.go
@@ -594,6 +594,7 @@ func (e *engine) sendPeerMessage(handle string, message model3.PeerMessage) erro
 		if ok {
 			return peerApp.SendMessage(message)
 		}
+		log.Errorf("could not send peer message: %v", err)
 		return fmt.Errorf("could not find peer app to send message to: %v", handle)
 	}
 	log.Errorf("could not send peer message: %v", err)
diff --git a/protocol/connections/peerapp.go b/protocol/connections/peerapp.go
index f884314..c8b6539 100644
--- a/protocol/connections/peerapp.go
+++ b/protocol/connections/peerapp.go
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ func (pa *PeerApp) SendMessage(message model2.PeerMessage) error {
 	}
 	serialized, err := json.Marshal(message)
 	if err == nil {
+		log.Debugf("sending plaintext of length %v", len(serialized))
 		pa.connection.Send(serialized)
 		return nil
 	}