diff --git a/async_substrate_interface/async_substrate.py b/async_substrate_interface/async_substrate.py
index 20af1bb..19cc69e 100644
--- a/async_substrate_interface/async_substrate.py
+++ b/async_substrate_interface/async_substrate.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
     cast,
 )
 
+import websockets.exceptions
 from bt_decode import MetadataV15, PortableRegistry, decode as decode_by_type_string
 from scalecodec.base import ScaleBytes, ScaleType, RuntimeConfigurationObject
 from scalecodec.type_registry import load_type_registry_preset
@@ -599,6 +600,7 @@ async def _cancel(self):
 
     async def connect(self, force=False):
         async with self._lock:
+            logger.debug(f"Websocket connecting to {self.ws_url}")
             if self._sending is None or self._sending.empty():
                 self._sending = asyncio.Queue()
             if self._exit_task:
@@ -723,8 +725,10 @@ async def _start_receiving(self, ws: ClientConnection) -> Exception:
                     if not fut.done():
                         fut.set_exception(e)
                         fut.cancel()
+            elif isinstance(e, websockets.exceptions.ConnectionClosedOK):
+                logger.debug("Websocket connection closed.")
             else:
-                logger.debug("Timeout occurred. Reconnecting.")
+                logger.debug(f"Timeout occurred. Reconnecting.")
             return e
 
     async def _start_sending(self, ws) -> Exception:
@@ -753,6 +757,8 @@ async def _start_sending(self, ws) -> Exception:
                     for i in self._received.keys():
                         self._received[i].set_exception(e)
                         self._received[i].cancel()
+            elif isinstance(e, websockets.exceptions.ConnectionClosedOK):
+                logger.debug("Websocket connection closed.")
             else:
                 logger.debug("Timeout occurred. Reconnecting.")
             return e
@@ -2370,6 +2376,9 @@ async def _make_rpc_request(
             for payload in payloads:
                 item_id = await ws.send(payload["payload"])
                 request_manager.add_request(item_id, payload["id"])
+                logger.debug(
+                    f"Submitted payload ID {payload['id']} with websocket ID {item_id}: {payload}"
+                )
 
             while True:
                 for item_id in request_manager.unresponded():
@@ -2390,6 +2399,10 @@ async def _make_rpc_request(
                                     )
                                     subscription_added = True
                                 except KeyError:
+                                    logger.error(
+                                        f"Error received from subtensor for {item_id}: {response}\n"
+                                        f"Currently received responses: {request_manager.get_results()}"
+                                    )
                                     raise SubstrateRequestException(str(response))
                             (
                                 decoded_response,
@@ -2406,6 +2419,20 @@ async def _make_rpc_request(
                             request_manager.add_response(
                                 item_id, decoded_response, complete
                             )
+                            if (
+                                len(stringified_response := str(decoded_response))
+                                < 2_000
+                            ):
+                                output_response = stringified_response
+                                # avoids clogging logs up needlessly (esp for Metadata stuff)
+                            else:
+                                output_response = (
+                                    f"{stringified_response[:2_000]} (truncated)"
+                                )
+                            logger.debug(
+                                f"Received response for item ID {item_id}:\n{output_response}\n"
+                                f"Complete: {complete}"
+                            )
 
                 if request_manager.is_complete:
                     break
diff --git a/async_substrate_interface/sync_substrate.py b/async_substrate_interface/sync_substrate.py
index 2c961b2..504f77d 100644
--- a/async_substrate_interface/sync_substrate.py
+++ b/async_substrate_interface/sync_substrate.py
@@ -632,6 +632,7 @@ def name(self):
     def connect(self, init=False):
         if init is True:
             try:
+                logger.debug(f"Websocket connecting to {self.chain_endpoint}")
                 return connect(self.chain_endpoint, max_size=self.ws_max_size)
             except (ConnectionError, socket.gaierror) as e:
                 raise ConnectionError(e)
@@ -640,6 +641,7 @@ def connect(self, init=False):
                 return self.ws
             else:
                 try:
+                    logger.debug(f"Websocket reconnecting to {self.chain_endpoint}")
                     self.ws = connect(self.chain_endpoint, max_size=self.ws_max_size)
                     return self.ws
                 except (ConnectionError, socket.gaierror) as e:
@@ -1902,6 +1904,9 @@ def _make_rpc_request(
                 raw_websocket_logger.debug(f"WEBSOCKET_SEND> {to_send}")
             ws.send(json.dumps(to_send))
             request_manager.add_request(item_id, payload["id"])
+            logger.debug(
+                f"Submitted payload ID {payload['id']} with websocket ID {item_id}: {payload}"
+            )
 
         while True:
             try:
@@ -1948,6 +1953,10 @@ def _make_rpc_request(
                                 subscription_added = True
                             except KeyError:
                                 raise SubstrateRequestException(str(response))
+                                logger.error(
+                                    f"Error received from subtensor for {item_id}: {response}\n"
+                                    f"Currently received responses: {request_manager.get_results()}"
+                                )
                         decoded_response, complete = self._process_response(
                             response,
                             item_id,
@@ -1959,6 +1968,17 @@ def _make_rpc_request(
                         request_manager.add_response(
                             item_id, decoded_response, complete
                         )
+                        if len(stringified_response := str(decoded_response)) < 2_000:
+                            output_response = stringified_response
+                            # avoids clogging logs up needlessly (esp for Metadata stuff)
+                        else:
+                            output_response = (
+                                f"{stringified_response[:2_000]} (truncated)"
+                            )
+                        logger.debug(
+                            f"Received response for item ID {item_id}:\n{output_response}\n"
+                            f"Complete: {complete}"
+                        )
 
             if request_manager.is_complete:
                 break