diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
index ca993be7c4..a59f35e111 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 		addtimer(CALLBACK(src, .proc/force_reset_keybindings), 30)	//No mob available when this is run, timer allows user choice.
 
 /datum/preferences/proc/update_character(current_version, savefile/S)
+	message_admins(current_version)
 	if(current_version < 19)
 		pda_style = "mono"
 	if(current_version < 20)
@@ -296,6 +297,7 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 		S["be_special"] << L
 
 	if(current_version < 51) // rp markings means markings are now stored as a list, lizard markings now mam like the rest
+		message_admins("migrating")
 		var/marking_type
 		var/species_id = S["species"]
 		var/datum/species/actual_species = GLOB.species_datums[species_id]
@@ -318,7 +320,7 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 			var/marking_list = list()
 			for(var/part in list(ARM_LEFT, ARM_RIGHT, LEG_LEFT, LEG_RIGHT, CHEST, HEAD))
 				marking_list += list(list(part, old_marking_value, color_list.Copy()))
-
+			message_admins("saved data of length [length(marking_list)]")
 			S[marking_type] = safe_json_encode(marking_list)
 
 /datum/preferences/proc/load_path(ckey,filename="preferences.sav")