diff --git a/mirrord/cli/src/connection.rs b/mirrord/cli/src/connection.rs
index 2f88e6bf13b..23c114b7cba 100644
--- a/mirrord/cli/src/connection.rs
+++ b/mirrord/cli/src/connection.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ use mirrord_progress::{
 };
 use mirrord_protocol::{ClientMessage, DaemonMessage};
 use tokio::sync::mpsc;
+use tracing::debug;
 
 use crate::{CliError, Result};
 
@@ -150,6 +151,7 @@ where
     .map_err(|_| CliError::AgentReadyTimeout)?
     .map_err(CliError::CreateAgentFailed)?;
 
+    debug!("agent created");
     let (sender, receiver) = wrap_raw_connection(
         k8s_api
             .create_connection(agent_connect_info.clone())
diff --git a/mirrord/kube/src/api/kubernetes.rs b/mirrord/kube/src/api/kubernetes.rs
index 5cd84eecbf6..029690b335d 100644
--- a/mirrord/kube/src/api/kubernetes.rs
+++ b/mirrord/kube/src/api/kubernetes.rs
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ impl KubernetesAPI {
     /// * `tls_cert` - value for
     ///   [`AGENT_OPERATOR_CERT_ENV`](mirrord_protocol::AGENT_OPERATOR_CERT_ENV), for creating an
     ///   agent from the operator. In usage from this repo this is always `None`.
-    #[tracing::instrument(level = "trace", skip(self, progress))]
+    #[tracing::instrument(level = "debug", skip(self, progress))]
     pub async fn create_agent<P>(
         &self,
         progress: &mut P,
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ impl KubernetesAPI {
         P: Progress + Send + Sync,
     {
         let (params, runtime_data) = self.create_agent_params(target, tls_cert).await?;
-
+        debug!("create agent params passed");
         let incoming_mode = config.map(|config| config.feature.network.incoming.mode);
         let is_mesh = runtime_data
             .as_ref()
diff --git a/mirrord/kube/src/api/runtime.rs b/mirrord/kube/src/api/runtime.rs
index f35aa8465d6..268f0085aac 100644
--- a/mirrord/kube/src/api/runtime.rs
+++ b/mirrord/kube/src/api/runtime.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ use mirrord_config::target::Target;
 use mirrord_protocol::MeshVendor;
 use serde::de::DeserializeOwned;
 use thiserror::Error;
+use tracing::debug;
 
 use crate::{
     api::{container::choose_container, kubernetes::get_k8s_resource_api},
@@ -252,10 +253,13 @@ where
     async fn runtime_data(&self, client: &Client, namespace: Option<&str>) -> Result<RuntimeData> {
         let api: Api<<Self as RuntimeDataFromLabels>::Resource> =
             get_k8s_resource_api(client, namespace);
+        debug!("getting resource: {name}", name = self.name());
         let resource = api.get(self.name()).await?;
 
+        debug!(?resource, "getting labels for resource");
         let labels = Self::get_labels(&resource).await?;
 
+        debug!(?labels, "got labels for resource");
         let formatted_labels = labels
             .iter()
             .map(|(key, value)| format!("{key}={value}"))
@@ -266,7 +270,9 @@ where
             ..Default::default()
         };
 
+        debug!(?list_params, "list_params");
         let pod_api: Api<Pod> = get_k8s_resource_api(client, namespace);
+        debug!(?list_params, "listing pods");
         let pods = pod_api.list(&list_params).await?;
 
         if pods.items.is_empty() {