diff --git a/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Components/Watchdog/BasicWatchdog.cs b/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Components/Watchdog/BasicWatchdog.cs
index 2d8ffd4dfe..cafa447a71 100644
--- a/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Components/Watchdog/BasicWatchdog.cs
+++ b/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Components/Watchdog/BasicWatchdog.cs
@@ -221,8 +221,10 @@ namespace Tgstation.Server.Host.Components.Watchdog
 
 				Server.EnableCustomChatCommands();
 			}
-			catch
+			catch (Exception ex)
 			{
+				Logger.LogTrace(ex, "Controller initialization failure!");
+
 				// kill the controllers
 				bool serverWasActive = Server != null;
 
diff --git a/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Components/Watchdog/WindowsWatchdog.cs b/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Components/Watchdog/WindowsWatchdog.cs
index baf536f923..a59fa95ff0 100644
--- a/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Components/Watchdog/WindowsWatchdog.cs
+++ b/src/Tgstation.Server.Host/Components/Watchdog/WindowsWatchdog.cs
@@ -229,9 +229,10 @@ namespace Tgstation.Server.Host.Components.Watchdog
 			{
 				await InitialLink(cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
 			}
-			catch
+			catch (Exception ex)
 			{
 				// We won't worry about disposing activeSwappable here as we can't dispose dmbToUse here.
+				Logger.LogTrace(ex, "Initial link error, nulling ActiveSwappable");
 				ActiveSwappable = null;
 				throw;
 			}