diff --git a/src/updatechecker.js b/src/updatechecker.js
index 0db2ddfb0..d87e087e7 100644
--- a/src/updatechecker.js
+++ b/src/updatechecker.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ function checkAppUpdates(options, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof options, 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
-    debug('Checking App Updates');
+    debug('checkAppUpdates: checking for updates');
 
     let state = getUpdateInfo();
     let newState = { };  // create new state so that old app ids are removed
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ function checkAppUpdates(options, callback) {
 
             appstore.getAppUpdate(app, options, function (error, updateInfo) {
                 if (error) {
-                    debug('Error getting app update info for %s', app.id, error);
+                    debug('checkAppUpdates: Error getting app update info for %s', app.id, error);
                     return iteratorDone();  // continue to next
                 }
 
@@ -59,10 +59,12 @@ function checkAppUpdates(options, callback) {
                 newState[app.id] = updateInfo;
 
                 if (safe.query(state[app.id], 'manifest.version') === updateInfo.manifest.version) {
-                    debug(`Skipping app update notification of ${app.id} since user was already notified of ${updateInfo.manifest.version}`);
+                    debug(`checkAppUpdates: Skipping app update notification of ${app.id} since user was already notified of ${updateInfo.manifest.version}`);
                     return iteratorDone();
                 }
 
+                debug(`checkAppUpdates: ${app.id} can be updated to ${updateInfo.manifest.id}@${updateInfo.manifest.version}`);
+
                 pendingNotifications.push({ app, updateInfo });
                 iteratorDone();
             });
@@ -80,7 +82,7 @@ function checkBoxUpdates(options, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof options, 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
-    debug('Checking Box Updates');
+    debug('checkBoxUpdates: checking for updates');
 
     appstore.getBoxUpdate(options, function (error, updateInfo) {
         if (error) return callback(error);
@@ -92,14 +94,17 @@ function checkBoxUpdates(options, callback) {
                 delete state.box;
                 setUpdateInfo(state);
             }
+            debug('checkBoxUpdates: no updates');
             return callback(null);
         }
 
         if (state.box && state.box.version === updateInfo.version) {
-            debug('Skipping notification of box update as user was already notified');
+            debug(`checkBoxUpdates: Skipping notification of box update ${updateInfo.version} as user was already notified`);
             return callback();
         }
 
+        debug(`checkBoxUpdates: ${updateInfo.version} is available`);
+
         const changelog = updateInfo.changelog.map((m) => `* ${m}\n`).join('');
 
         const message = `Changelog:\n${changelog}\n\nGo to the settings view to update.\n\n`;