diff --git a/xos/synchronizers/base/event_loop.py b/xos/synchronizers/base/event_loop.py
index d9fc3ea..0f23c04 100644
--- a/xos/synchronizers/base/event_loop.py
+++ b/xos/synchronizers/base/event_loop.py
@@ -348,9 +348,11 @@
 				if (step_status[d] is STEP_STATUS_WORKING):
                                         logger.info("  step %s wait on dep %s" % (step.__name__, d))
 					cond.wait()
+                                        logger.info("  step %s wait on dep %s cond returned" % (step.__name__, d))
 				elif step_status[d] == STEP_STATUS_OK:
 					go = True
 				else:
+                                        logger.info("  step %s has failed dep %s" % (step.__name__, d))
 					go = False
                         		failed_dep = d
 				cond.release()
@@ -360,6 +362,7 @@
 			go = True
 
 		if (not go):
+                        logger.info("Step %s skipped" % step.__name__)
                         self.consolePrint(bcolors.FAIL + "Step %r skipped on %r" % (step,failed_dep) + bcolors.ENDC)
                         # SMBAKER: sync_step was not defined here, so I changed
                         #    this from 'sync_step' to 'step'. Verify.
@@ -415,7 +418,7 @@
 					if failed_objects:
 						self.failed_step_objects.update(failed_objects)
 
-                                        logger.info("Step %r succeeded" % sync_step.__name__)
+                                        logger.info("Step %r succeeded, deletion=%s" % (sync_step.__name__, deletion))
                                         self.consolePrint(bcolors.OKGREEN + "Step %r succeeded" % sync_step.__name__ + bcolors.ENDC)
 					my_status = STEP_STATUS_OK
 					self.update_run_time(sync_step,deletion)
@@ -461,36 +464,26 @@
 
                     self.run_once()
 
+        def check_db_connection_okay(self):
+            # django implodes if the database connection is closed by docker-compose
+            try:
+                diag = Diag.objects.filter(name="foo").first()
+            except Exception, e:
+                from django import db
+                if "connection already closed" in traceback.format_exc():
+                   logger.error("XXX connection already closed")
+                   try:
+#                       if db.connection:
+#                           db.connection.close()
+                       db.close_connection()
+                   except:
+                        logger.log_exc("XXX we failed to fix the failure")
+                else:
+                   logger.log_exc("XXX some other error")
+
         def run_once(self):
                 try:
-                        # django implodes if the database connection is closed by docker-compose
-                        try:
-                            diag = Diag.objects.filter(name="foo").first()
-                        except Exception, e:
-                            from django import db
-                            if "connection already closed" in traceback.format_exc():
-                               logger.error("XXX connection already closed")
-                               try:
-                                   if db.connection:
-                                       db.connection.close()
-                               except:
-                                    logger.error("XXX we failed to fix the failure(1)")
-                                    traceback.print_exc()
-                               try:
-                                    db.close_connection()
-                               except:
-                                    logger.error("XXX we failed to fix the failure(2)")
-                                    traceback.print_exc()
-                               try:
-                                    if db.connection and db.connection.connection:
-                                        db.connection.connection.close()
-                                        db.connection.connection = None
-                               except:
-                                    logger.error("XXX we failed to fix the failure(3)")
-                                    traceback.print_exc()
-                            else:
-                               logger.error("XXX some other error")
-                               traceback.print_exc()
+                        self.check_db_connection_okay()
 
                         loop_start = time.time()
                         error_map_file = getattr(Config(), "error_map_path", XOS_DIR + "/error_map.txt")
diff --git a/xos/synchronizers/base/syncstep.py b/xos/synchronizers/base/syncstep.py
index d505481..3ddf75e 100644
--- a/xos/synchronizers/base/syncstep.py
+++ b/xos/synchronizers/base/syncstep.py
@@ -141,6 +141,8 @@
 
 
     def sync_record(self, o):
+        logger.info("Sync_record called for %s %s" % (o.__class__.__name__, str(o)))
+
         try:
             controller = o.get_controller()
             controller_register = json.loads(controller.backend_register)
diff --git a/xos/synchronizers/model_policy.py b/xos/synchronizers/model_policy.py
index ef31d41..aa12092 100644
--- a/xos/synchronizers/model_policy.py
+++ b/xos/synchronizers/model_policy.py
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@
 import pdb
 from generate.dependency_walker import *
 from synchronizers.openstack import model_policies
-from xos.logger import logger
+from xos.logger import Logger, logging
 from datetime import datetime
 from django.utils import timezone
 import time
+import traceback
 from core.models import *
 from django.db import reset_queries
 from django.db.transaction import atomic
@@ -15,6 +16,8 @@
 modelPolicyEnabled = True
 bad_instances=[]
 
+logger = Logger(level=logging.INFO)
+
 def EnableModelPolicy(x):
     global modelPolicyEnabled
     modelPolicyEnabled = x
@@ -40,9 +43,10 @@
         if (save_fields):
             d.save(update_fields=save_fields)
     except AttributeError,e:
+        logger.log_exc("AttributeError in update_dep")
         raise e
     except Exception,e:
-            logger.info('Could not save %r. Exception: %r'%(d,e), extra=d.tologdict())
+        logger.log_exc("Exception in update_dep")
 
 def delete_if_inactive(d, o):
     try:
@@ -75,7 +79,7 @@
 
     try:
         policy_handler = getattr(model_policies, policy_name, None)
-        logger.error("POLICY HANDLER: %s %s" % (policy_name, policy_handler))
+        logger.info("MODEL POLICY: handler %s %s" % (policy_name, policy_handler))
         if policy_handler is not None:
             if (deleted):
                 try:
@@ -84,23 +88,45 @@
                     pass
             else:
                 policy_handler.handle(instance)
+        logger.info("MODEL POLICY: completed handler %s %s" % (policy_name, policy_handler))
     except:
-        logger.log_exc("Model Policy Error:")
+        logger.log_exc("MODEL POLICY: Exception when running handler")
 
     try:
         instance.policed=timezone.now()
         instance.save(update_fields=['policed'])
     except:
-        logging.error('Object %r is defective'%instance)
+        logger.log_exc('MODEL POLICY: Object %r is defective'%instance)
         bad_instances.append(instance)
 
 def noop(o,p):
         pass
 
+def check_db_connection_okay():
+    # django implodes if the database connection is closed by docker-compose
+    from django import db
+    try:
+        db.connection.cursor()
+        #diag = Diag.objects.filter(name="foo").first()
+    except Exception, e:
+        if "connection already closed" in traceback.format_exc():
+           logger.error("XXX connection already closed")
+           try:
+#               if db.connection:
+#                   db.connection.close()
+               db.close_connection()
+           except:
+                logger.log_exc("XXX we failed to fix the failure")
+        else:
+           logger.log_exc("XXX some other error")
+
 def run_policy():
     while (True):
         start = time.time()
-        run_policy_once()
+        try:
+            run_policy_once()
+        except:
+            logger.log_exc("MODEL_POLICY: Exception in run_policy()")
         if (time.time()-start<1):
             time.sleep(1)
 
@@ -110,6 +136,10 @@
         objects = []
         deleted_objects = []
 
+        logger.info("MODEL POLICY: run_policy_once()")
+
+        check_db_connection_okay()
+
         for m in models:
             res = m.objects.filter((Q(policed__lt=F('updated')) | Q(policed=None)) & Q(no_policy=False))
             objects.extend(res)
@@ -137,4 +167,6 @@
             reset_queries()
         except:
             # this shouldn't happen, but in case it does, catch it...
-            logger.log_exc("exception in reset_queries")
+            logger.log_exc("MODEL POLICY: exception in reset_queries")
+
+        logger.info("MODEL POLICY: finished run_policy_once()")