diff --git a/src/channels/web/handlers/users.rs b/src/channels/web/handlers/users.rs
index eccf2882..c89c70a6 100644
--- a/src/channels/web/handlers/users.rs
+++ b/src/channels/web/handlers/users.rs
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ pub async fn users_create_handler(
         ));
     }
 
+    tracing::info!("users_create: passed validation, building record");
     let user_id = Uuid::new_v4().to_string();
 
     let now = chrono::Utc::now();
@@ -64,10 +65,15 @@ pub async fn users_create_handler(
         metadata: serde_json::json!({}),
     };
 
+    tracing::info!("users_create: calling create_user for {}", user_id);
     store
         .create_user(&user_record)
         .await
-        .map_err(|e| (StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string()))?;
+        .map_err(|e| {
+            tracing::error!("users_create: create_user failed: {e}");
+            (StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string())
+        })?;
+    tracing::info!("users_create: create_user succeeded");
 
     // Generate a first API token so the new user can authenticate immediately.
     // Hash the hex-encoded plaintext (what the user sends as Bearer token),
@@ -78,10 +84,15 @@ pub async fn users_create_handler(
     let token_hash = crate::channels::web::auth::hash_token(&plaintext_token);
     let token_prefix = &plaintext_token[..8];
 
+    tracing::info!("users_create: calling create_api_token");
     let _token_record = store
         .create_api_token(&user_id, "initial", &token_hash, token_prefix, None)
         .await
-        .map_err(|e| (StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string()))?;
+        .map_err(|e| {
+            tracing::error!("users_create: create_api_token failed: {e}");
+            (StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, e.to_string())
+        })?;
+    tracing::info!("users_create: complete, returning response");
 
     Ok(Json(serde_json::json!({
         "id": user_record.id,