diff --git a/beebop/app.py b/beebop/app.py
index fe366cd5..526205a4 100644
--- a/beebop/app.py
+++ b/beebop/app.py
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ def run_poppunk() -> json:
 
     :return json: [response object with all job IDs stored in 'data']
     """
+    logit("running poppunk")
     sketches = request.json['sketches'].items()
     p_hash = request.json['projectHash']
     name_mapping = request.json['names']
@@ -172,6 +173,8 @@ def run_poppunk() -> json:
     return run_poppunk_internal(sketches, p_hash, name_mapping,
                                 storage_location, redis, q)
 
+def logit(s: str):
+    print(s, flush=True)
 
 def run_poppunk_internal(sketches: dict,
                          p_hash: str,
@@ -194,12 +197,16 @@ def run_poppunk_internal(sketches: dict,
     :param q: [redis queue]
     :return json: [response object with all job IDs stored in 'data']
     """
+    logit("running poppunk internal")
     # create FS
     fs = PoppunkFileStore(storage_location)
+    logit("created fs")
     # read arguments
     args = get_args()
+    logit("got args")
     # set database paths
     db_paths = DatabaseFileStore(database_location)
+    logit("set db paths")
     # store json sketches in storage, and store an initial output_cluster file
     # to record sample hashes for the project
     hashes_list = []
@@ -213,8 +220,10 @@ def run_poppunk_internal(sketches: dict,
     fs.ensure_output_dir_exists(p_hash)
     with open(fs.output_cluster(p_hash), 'wb') as f:
         pickle.dump(initial_output, f)
+    logit("dumped sketches")
     # check connection to redis
     check_connection(redis)
+    logit("checked redis")
     # submit list of hashes to redis worker
     job_assign = q.enqueue(assignClusters.get_clusters,
                            hashes_list,
@@ -225,6 +234,9 @@ def run_poppunk_internal(sketches: dict,
                            job_timeout=job_timeout)
     # save p-hash with job.id in redis server
     redis.hset("beebop:hash:job:assign", p_hash, job_assign.id)
+    # check we've actually saved the value
+    test_value = redis.hget("beebop:hash:job:assign", p_hash)
+    logit(f"Read test_value {test_value} for job id {job_assign.id}")
     # create visualisations
     # network
     job_network = q.enqueue(visualise.network,
@@ -304,8 +316,8 @@ def get_status_job(job, p_hash, redis):
         return {"assign": status_assign,
                 "microreact": status_microreact,
                 "network": status_network}
-    except AttributeError:
-        return {"error": "Unknown project hash"}
+    except AttributeError as err:
+        return {"error": f"Unknown project hash error (for hash {p_hash}): {str(err)}"}
 
 
 # get job result