diff --git a/app/models/publishing_pipeline_state.rb b/app/models/publishing_pipeline_state.rb
index 4e64f3c77..956fa979b 100644
--- a/app/models/publishing_pipeline_state.rb
+++ b/app/models/publishing_pipeline_state.rb
@@ -88,29 +88,40 @@ def self.most_recent_state(podcast)
   end
 
   def self.start_pipeline!(podcast)
-    PublishingQueueItem.ensure_queued!(podcast)
-    attempt!(podcast)
+    Rails.logger.tagged("PublishingPipeLineState.start_pipeline!") do
+      PublishingQueueItem.ensure_queued!(podcast)
+      attempt!(podcast)
+    end
   end
 
   # None of the methods that grab locks are threadsafe if we assume that
   # creating published artifacts is non-idempotent (e.g. creating remote Apple
   # resources)
   def self.attempt!(podcast, perform_later: true)
-    podcast.with_publish_lock do
-      next if PublishingQueueItem.unfinished_items(podcast).empty?
-      next if PublishingQueueItem.current_unfinished_item(podcast).present?
-
-      # Dedupe the work, grab the latest unfinished item in the queue
-      latest_unfinished_item = PublishingQueueItem.unfinished_items(podcast).first
-
-      PublishingPipelineState.create!(podcast: podcast, publishing_queue_item: latest_unfinished_item, status: :created)
-
-      if perform_later
-        Rails.logger.info("Scheduling PublishFeedJob for podcast #{podcast.id}", {podcast_id: podcast.id})
-        PublishFeedJob.perform_later(podcast)
-      else
-        Rails.logger.info("Performing PublishFeedJob for podcast #{podcast.id}", {podcast_id: podcast.id})
-        PublishFeedJob.perform_now(podcast)
+    Rails.logger.tagged("PublishingPipeLineState.attempt!") do
+      podcast.with_publish_lock do
+        if PublishingQueueItem.unfinished_items(podcast).empty?
+          Rails.logger.info("Unfinished items empty, nothing to do", podcast_id: podcast.id)
+          next
+        end
+        if curr_running_item = PublishingQueueItem.current_unfinished_item(podcast)
+          Rails.logger.info("Podcast's PublishingQueueItem already has running pipeline", podcast_id: podcast.id, running_queue_item: curr_running_item.id)
+          next
+        end
+
+        # Dedupe the work, grab the latest unfinished item in the queue
+        latest_unfinished_item = PublishingQueueItem.unfinished_items(podcast).first
+
+        Rails.logger.info("Creating publishing pipeline for podcast #{podcast.id}", {podcast_id: podcast.id, queue_item_id: latest_unfinished_item.id})
+        PublishingPipelineState.create!(podcast: podcast, publishing_queue_item: latest_unfinished_item, status: :created)
+
+        if perform_later
+          Rails.logger.info("Scheduling PublishFeedJob for podcast #{podcast.id}", {podcast_id: podcast.id})
+          PublishFeedJob.perform_later(podcast)
+        else
+          Rails.logger.info("Performing PublishFeedJob for podcast #{podcast.id}", {podcast_id: podcast.id})
+          PublishFeedJob.perform_now(podcast)
+        end
       end
     end
   end
@@ -166,6 +177,7 @@ def self.state_transition(podcast, to_state)
     podcast.with_publish_lock do
       pqi = PublishingQueueItem.current_unfinished_item(podcast)
       if pqi.present?
+        Rails.logger.info("Transitioning podcast #{podcast.id} publishing pipeline to state #{to_state}", {podcast_id: podcast.id, to_state: to_state})
         PublishingPipelineState.create!(podcast: podcast, publishing_queue_item: pqi, status: to_state)
       else
         Rails.logger.error("Podcast #{podcast.id} has no unfinished work, cannot transition state", {podcast_id: podcast.id, to_state: to_state})
diff --git a/app/models/publishing_queue_item.rb b/app/models/publishing_queue_item.rb
index f98af237c..2fe567288 100644
--- a/app/models/publishing_queue_item.rb
+++ b/app/models/publishing_queue_item.rb
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ def self.delivery_status
   end
 
   def self.ensure_queued!(podcast)
+    Rails.logger.info("Creating new PublishingQueueItem", {podcast_id: podcast.id})
     create!(podcast: podcast)
   end