diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f99fdd39..f33e0265 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "async": "^2.6.0",
     "boom": "^7.1.1",
+    "debug": "^3.1.0",
     "detect-node": "^2.0.3",
     "hapi": "^16.6.2",
     "hat": "0.0.3",
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@
     "readable-stream": "^2.3.3",
     "rimraf": "^2.6.2",
     "safe-json-parse": "^4.0.0",
+    "shutdown": "^0.3.0",
     "ipfs-api": "^17.3.0",
     "stream-http": "^2.7.2",
     "subcomandante": "^1.0.5",
diff --git a/src/daemon-node.js b/src/daemon-node.js
index 2f35acd3..955ba317 100644
--- a/src/daemon-node.js
+++ b/src/daemon-node.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ const once = require('once')
 const truthy = require('truthy')
 const utils = require('./utils')
 const flatten = require('./utils').flatten
+const debug = require('debug')('ipfsd-ctl:deamon-node')
 
 const tryJsonParse = utils.tryJsonParse
 const parseConfig = utils.parseConfig
@@ -262,6 +263,7 @@ class Node {
     // need a local var for the closure, as we clear the var.
     const subprocess = this.subprocess
     const timeout = setTimeout(() => {
+      debug('kill timeout, using SIGKILL', subprocess.pid)
       subprocess.kill('SIGKILL')
       callback()
     }, GRACE_PERIOD)
@@ -269,6 +271,7 @@ class Node {
     const disposable = this.disposable
     const clean = this.cleanup.bind(this)
     subprocess.once('close', () => {
+      debug('killed', subprocess.pid)
       clearTimeout(timeout)
       this.subprocess = null
       this._started = false
@@ -278,6 +281,7 @@ class Node {
       callback()
     })
 
+    debug('killing', subprocess.pid)
     subprocess.kill('SIGTERM')
     this.subprocess = null
   }
diff --git a/src/exec.js b/src/exec.js
index 3830c3f0..a846daa8 100644
--- a/src/exec.js
+++ b/src/exec.js
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 const run = require('subcomandante')
 const once = require('once')
+const debug = require('debug')('ipfsd-ctl:exec')
+const path = require('path')
 
 function exec (cmd, args, opts, handlers) {
   opts = opts || {}
@@ -47,6 +49,7 @@ function exec (cmd, args, opts, handlers) {
     })
   }
 
+  debug(path.basename(cmd), args.join(' '))
   const command = run(cmd, args, opts)
 
   if (listeners.data) {