diff --git a/soh/soh/Enhancements/customequipment.cpp b/soh/soh/Enhancements/customequipment.cpp
index 9834836fbc8..c80d3f74c64 100644
--- a/soh/soh/Enhancements/customequipment.cpp
+++ b/soh/soh/Enhancements/customequipment.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include <initializer_list>
+#include <spdlog/spdlog.h>
 #include "src/overlays/actors/ovl_En_Elf/z_en_elf.h"
 #include "objects/object_link_boy/object_link_boy.h"
 #include "objects/object_link_child/object_link_child.h"
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ static const char* ResolveCustomChain(std::initializer_list<const char*> paths)
     for (auto path : paths) {
         if (path != nullptr) {
             fallback = path;
-            if (ResourceMgr_FileExists(path)) {
+            if (ResourceGetIsCustomByName(path) || ResourceMgr_FileExists(path)) {
                 return path;
             }
         }
@@ -113,6 +114,7 @@ static void RefreshCustomEquipment() {
 void PatchOrUnpatch(const char* resource, const char* gfx, const char* dlist1, const char* dlist2, const char* dlist3,
                     const char* alternateDL) {
     if (resource == NULL || gfx == NULL || dlist1 == NULL || dlist2 == NULL) {
+        SPDLOG_DEBUG("CustomEquip: skip patch (null arg) res={} gfx={} d1={} d2={}", resource, gfx, dlist1, dlist2);
         return;
     }
 
@@ -120,6 +122,7 @@ void PatchOrUnpatch(const char* resource, const char* gfx, const char* dlist1, c
 
     if (!altAssetsRuntime) {
         // Alt assets are off; ensure any prior patches using these names are reverted.
+        SPDLOG_DEBUG("CustomEquip: unpatch (alt assets off) res={}", resource);
         ResourceMgr_UnpatchGfxByName(resource, dlist1);
         ResourceMgr_UnpatchGfxByName(resource, dlist2);
         if (dlist3 != NULL) {
@@ -131,10 +134,13 @@ void PatchOrUnpatch(const char* resource, const char* gfx, const char* dlist1, c
     }
 
     if (!ResourceGetIsCustomByName(gfx)) {
+        SPDLOG_DEBUG("CustomEquip: skip patch (gfx not custom) gfx={}", gfx);
         return;
     }
 
     if (alternateDL == NULL || ResourceGetIsCustomByName(alternateDL) || ResourceMgr_FileExists(alternateDL)) {
+        SPDLOG_DEBUG("CustomEquip: patch res={} gfx={} d1={} d2={} d3={} alt={}", resource, gfx, dlist1, dlist2,
+                     dlist3 != NULL ? dlist3 : "null", alternateDL != NULL ? alternateDL : "null");
         ResourceMgr_PatchCustomGfxByName(resource, dlist1, 0, gsSPDisplayListOTRFilePath(gfx));
         if (dlist3 == NULL) {
             ResourceMgr_PatchCustomGfxByName(resource, dlist2, 1, gsSPEndDisplayList());
@@ -144,6 +150,8 @@ void PatchOrUnpatch(const char* resource, const char* gfx, const char* dlist1, c
         if (dlist3 != NULL) {
             ResourceMgr_PatchCustomGfxByName(resource, dlist3, 2, gsSPEndDisplayList());
         }
+    } else {
+        SPDLOG_DEBUG("CustomEquip: skip patch (alternate missing) alt={}", alternateDL);
     }
 }