diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index c4af244..0aaaac0 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -988,6 +988,7 @@ checksum = "6ce2be8dc25455e1f91df71bfa12ad37d7af1092ae736f3a6cd0e37bc7810596"
 name = "strawcore-core"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
+ "log",
  "once_cell",
  "parking_lot",
  "regex",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index d8c0083..632bf4b 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ reqwest = { version = "0.12", default-features = false, features = ["rustls-tls-
 serde = { version = "1", features = ["derive"] }
 serde_json = "1"
 thiserror = "1"
+log = "0.4"
 parking_lot = "0.12"
 url = "2"
 once_cell = "1"
diff --git a/src/downloader/default_impl.rs b/src/downloader/default_impl.rs
index 9dcefea..dd50291 100644
--- a/src/downloader/default_impl.rs
+++ b/src/downloader/default_impl.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 //     as Ok(Response)
 
 use std::io::Read;
-use std::time::Duration;
+use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 
 use reqwest::blocking::Client;
 use reqwest::redirect::Policy;
@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ impl ReqwestDownloader {
 
 impl Downloader for ReqwestDownloader {
     fn execute(&self, request: Request) -> Result<Response, NetworkError> {
+        let started = Instant::now();
+        let method_str = match request.method() {
+            Method::Get => "GET",
+            Method::Post => "POST",
+        };
         let method = match request.method() {
             Method::Get => reqwest::Method::GET,
             Method::Post => reqwest::Method::POST,
@@ -79,6 +84,12 @@ impl Downloader for ReqwestDownloader {
 
         let status = resp.status();
         let url_after_redirects = resp.url().to_string();
+        // Query/fragment carry n/sig/pot/cpn/id — strip for every log line.
+        let endpoint = url_after_redirects
+            .split(['?', '#'])
+            .next()
+            .unwrap_or(&url_after_redirects)
+            .to_string();
 
         if status.as_u16() == 429 {
             // Privacy: this URL ends up in error strings (and from there in
@@ -91,6 +102,8 @@ impl Downloader for ReqwestDownloader {
             stripped.set_query(None);
             stripped.set_fragment(None);
             stripped.set_path("/");
+            // Densest bot-flag signal — host only (path/query already stripped).
+            log::warn!("HTTP 429 reCAPTCHA / bot-wall from {stripped} — YouTube is rate-limiting");
             return Err(NetworkError::Recaptcha { url: stripped.to_string() });
         }
 
@@ -107,6 +120,9 @@ impl Downloader for ReqwestDownloader {
         // Fail fast when a known Content-Length already exceeds the cap.
         if let Some(len) = resp.content_length() {
             if len > MAX_BODY_BYTES {
+                log::warn!(
+                    "{endpoint}: Content-Length {len}B exceeds cap {MAX_BODY_BYTES}B; aborting"
+                );
                 return Err(NetworkError::Transport(format!(
                     "response body {len} bytes exceeds cap {MAX_BODY_BYTES}"
                 )));
@@ -123,6 +139,7 @@ impl Downloader for ReqwestDownloader {
             .read_to_end(&mut buf)
             .map_err(|e| NetworkError::Transport(format!("body read: {e}")))?;
         if buf.len() as u64 > MAX_BODY_BYTES {
+            log::warn!("{endpoint}: streamed body exceeded cap {MAX_BODY_BYTES}B; aborting");
             return Err(NetworkError::Transport(format!(
                 "response body exceeded cap {MAX_BODY_BYTES}"
             )));
@@ -131,11 +148,19 @@ impl Downloader for ReqwestDownloader {
         // common case): String::from_utf8 reinterprets the Vec in place,
         // whereas from_utf8_lossy always allocates + copies. Fall back to
         // lossy only on genuinely invalid bytes, preserving U+FFFD behavior.
+        let body_len = buf.len();
         let body = match String::from_utf8(buf) {
             Ok(s) => s,
             Err(e) => String::from_utf8_lossy(e.as_bytes()).into_owned(),
         };
 
+        // One DEBUG per request (dogfood ring). Query stripped; body length +
+        // status only — never the body. Gated behind the Debug-level bump.
+        log::debug!(
+            "{method_str} {endpoint} → {code} {body_len}B {}ms",
+            started.elapsed().as_millis()
+        );
+
         Ok(Response::new(code, message, headers, body, url_after_redirects))
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/exceptions.rs b/src/exceptions.rs
index cd19946..d3796bb 100644
--- a/src/exceptions.rs
+++ b/src/exceptions.rs
@@ -59,6 +59,13 @@ pub enum ContentUnavailable {
     SoundCloudGoPlus,
     #[error("account terminated")]
     AccountTerminated,
+    /// The 2026 poToken/BotGuard "sign in to confirm you're not a bot" wall.
+    /// Its Display is kept byte-identical to the old
+    /// `Other("sign in to confirm you're not a bot")` so string-matching
+    /// callers keep working; the dedicated variant makes the wall greppable in
+    /// logs and distinctly classifiable in app state.
+    #[error("sign in to confirm you're not a bot")]
+    BotDetected,
     #[error("unavailable: {0}")]
     Other(String),
 }
diff --git a/src/youtube/channel.rs b/src/youtube/channel.rs
index 741f4b3..d1a33f3 100644
--- a/src/youtube/channel.rs
+++ b/src/youtube/channel.rs
@@ -46,7 +46,14 @@ pub fn channel_info(identifier: ChannelIdentifier) -> Result<ChannelInfo, Extrac
         ChannelIdentifier::Custom(c) => resolve_handle_to_channel_id(&format!("c/{c}"))?,
         ChannelIdentifier::LegacyUser(u) => resolve_handle_to_channel_id(&format!("user/{u}"))?,
     };
-    fetch_channel_browse(&resolved)
+    let info = fetch_channel_browse(&resolved)?;
+    log::info!(
+        "[channel {}] channel_info ok: videos={} continuation={}",
+        info.channel_id,
+        info.recent_videos.len(),
+        info.videos_continuation.is_some()
+    );
+    Ok(info)
 }
 
 pub fn resolve_handle_to_channel_id(url_fragment: &str) -> Result<String, ExtractionError> {
@@ -113,10 +120,21 @@ pub fn fetch_channel_browse(channel_id: &str) -> Result<ChannelInfo, ExtractionE
 
     // Videos tab is best-effort: a fetch error OR a panicked worker thread
     // just leaves recent_videos empty (header still populated above).
-    if let Ok(Ok(videos_response)) = videos_result {
-        info.recent_videos = parse_videos_tab(&videos_response);
-        if let Some(token) = parse_videos_continuation(&videos_response) {
-            info.videos_continuation = Some(token);
+    match videos_result {
+        Ok(Ok(videos_response)) => {
+            info.recent_videos = parse_videos_tab(&videos_response, channel_id);
+            if let Some(token) = parse_videos_continuation(&videos_response) {
+                info.videos_continuation = Some(token);
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(Err(e)) => {
+            log::warn!("[channel {channel_id}] Videos-tab fetch failed ({e}); recent_videos empty (header still populated)");
+        }
+        Err(_) => {
+            // The worker closure can't panic by construction → invariant breach.
+            log::error!(
+                "[channel {channel_id}] Videos-tab worker thread panicked; recent_videos empty"
+            );
         }
     }
     Ok(info)
@@ -129,7 +147,13 @@ pub fn fetch_channel_browse(channel_id: &str) -> Result<ChannelInfo, ExtractionE
 /// exhausted).
 pub fn channel_videos_continuation(token: &str) -> Result<ContinuationPage, ExtractionError> {
     let body = fetch_continuation_browse(token)?;
-    Ok(parse_channel_continuation(&body))
+    let page = parse_channel_continuation(&body);
+    log::info!(
+        "channel_videos_continuation ok: items={} more={}",
+        page.items.len(),
+        page.continuation.is_some()
+    );
+    Ok(page)
 }
 
 /// POST `browse` with `{"continuation": token}` (no browseId/params).
@@ -170,12 +194,24 @@ fn fetch_continuation_browse(token: &str) -> Result<Value, ExtractionError> {
 /// `continuationItems` array.
 pub fn parse_channel_continuation(body: &Value) -> ContinuationPage {
     let Some(items) = continuation_items(body, "onResponseReceivedActions") else {
+        // A non-empty body with no continuationItems = the pagination shape
+        // moved; the page returns empty and pagination silently ends.
+        if body.as_object().map(|m| !m.is_empty()).unwrap_or(false) {
+            log::warn!("channel continuation: no continuationItems found (pagination shape changed?); ending pagination");
+        }
         return ContinuationPage::default();
     };
-    let videos = items.iter().filter_map(parse_rich_grid_item).collect();
+    let videos: Vec<StreamInfoItem> = items.iter().filter_map(parse_rich_grid_item).collect();
+    // Aggregate renderer-migration signal: cells present but none parsed.
+    if !items.is_empty() && videos.is_empty() {
+        log::warn!(
+            "channel continuation: {} cell(s) but 0 parsed (renderer migration?)",
+            items.len()
+        );
+    }
     ContinuationPage {
-        items: videos,
         continuation: token_from_items(items),
+        items: videos,
     }
 }
 
@@ -289,11 +325,23 @@ pub fn parse_channel_browse(channel_id: &str, body: &Value) -> ChannelInfo {
 /// Handles BOTH old-style `videoRenderer` items and new-style
 /// `lockupViewModel` items (YT migrated channel-videos UI to
 /// lockupViewModel around 2024).
-fn parse_videos_tab(body: &Value) -> Vec<StreamInfoItem> {
-    match selected_tab_grid_contents(body) {
-        Some(items) => items.iter().filter_map(parse_rich_grid_item).collect(),
-        None => Vec::new(),
+fn parse_videos_tab(body: &Value, channel_id: &str) -> Vec<StreamInfoItem> {
+    let Some(items) = selected_tab_grid_contents(body) else {
+        // A real browse response (has `contents`) but no grid = layout change.
+        if body.get("contents").is_some() {
+            log::warn!("[channel {channel_id}] Videos-tab grid not found (layout change?); recent_videos empty");
+        }
+        return Vec::new();
+    };
+    let parsed: Vec<StreamInfoItem> = items.iter().filter_map(parse_rich_grid_item).collect();
+    // Aggregate renderer-migration signal: cells present but none parsed.
+    if !items.is_empty() && parsed.is_empty() {
+        log::warn!(
+            "[channel {channel_id}] Videos-tab grid had {} cell(s) but 0 parsed (renderer migration?)",
+            items.len()
+        );
     }
+    parsed
 }
 
 /// The `contents[]` array of the selected channel tab's
diff --git a/src/youtube/js/mod.rs b/src/youtube/js/mod.rs
index de1641c..34b38a1 100644
--- a/src/youtube/js/mod.rs
+++ b/src/youtube/js/mod.rs
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ pub enum DeobfError {
     JsRuntimeFailed(String),
     #[error("nsig output was empty (function neutered?)")]
     NsigEmpty,
+    #[error("nsig output equalled its input (identity — deobfuscator neutered?)")]
+    NsigIdentity,
     #[error("downloader not initialized")]
     DownloaderMissing,
 }
diff --git a/src/youtube/js/nsig.rs b/src/youtube/js/nsig.rs
index 3853669..346e47a 100644
--- a/src/youtube/js/nsig.rs
+++ b/src/youtube/js/nsig.rs
@@ -177,7 +177,10 @@ fn deobfuscation_function_body(
     let function_base = format!("{function_name}=function");
     match match_to_closing_brace(player_code, &function_base) {
         Ok(body) => Ok(format!("{function_base}{body};")),
-        Err(_) => deobfuscation_function_body_regex(player_code, function_name),
+        Err(_) => {
+            log::debug!("nsig body: lexer brace-match failed, falling back to regex extraction");
+            deobfuscation_function_body_regex(player_code, function_name)
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -220,6 +223,11 @@ pub fn fixup_function(function: &str) -> Result<String, DeobfError> {
         .unwrap_or_default();
 
     if first_arg.is_empty() {
+        // The args regex didn't capture a first argument, so the
+        // `if(typeof X==="undefined")return <arg>;` guard can't be stripped —
+        // the deobfuscator will return its input unchanged (throttled URLs).
+        // Fires ~once per player.js generation (build is cached).
+        log::warn!("nsig fixup: could not extract the function's first argument; the early-return guard cannot be stripped → deobfuscator may return its input unchanged");
         return Ok(function.to_string());
     }
 
diff --git a/src/youtube/js/player_manager.rs b/src/youtube/js/player_manager.rs
index 9dc65e9..c622608 100644
--- a/src/youtube/js/player_manager.rs
+++ b/src/youtube/js/player_manager.rs
@@ -108,6 +108,22 @@ impl Derived {
             Derived::Nsig => &mut state.nsig_fail,
         }
     }
+
+    /// Short log label for the derived artifact.
+    fn label(&self) -> &'static str {
+        match self {
+            Derived::SigTimestamp => "signature-timestamp",
+            Derived::Sig => "sig",
+            Derived::Nsig => "nsig",
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Strip the query/fragment off a player.js URL before logging. Player URLs are
+/// static + user-independent (safe to log per the audit), but this keeps the
+/// no-secrets discipline uniform with the rest of the crate.
+fn strip_query(url: &str) -> &str {
+    url.split(['?', '#']).next().unwrap_or(url)
 }
 
 /// Verdict of a memo check, decided under the state lock.
@@ -282,6 +298,9 @@ impl PlayerManager {
         ) {
             Ok(result) => {
                 if result == "null" {
+                    log::warn!(
+                        "sig deobf returned \"null\" → empty signature (affected formats may 403)"
+                    );
                     Ok(String::new()) // NPE: Objects.requireNonNullElse(..., "")
                 } else {
                     Ok(result)
@@ -340,6 +359,21 @@ impl PlayerManager {
             self.on_eval_failure(Derived::Nsig, fresh, &e);
             return Err(e);
         }
+        if deobf == obf {
+            // Identity output: the deobfuscator ran but returned its input
+            // UNCHANGED — almost always a surviving `if(typeof X==="undefined")
+            // return p;` guard that `fixup_function` failed to strip. Caching it
+            // would permanently serve THROTTLED URLs for the whole session, so
+            // treat it like a neutered function: DON'T cache, invalidate +
+            // (fresh) memoize so the rest of the open replays cheaply, and let
+            // the throttled formats be counted by the aggregate nsig-fallback
+            // WARN in populate_streams. The memo/invalidate machinery bounds
+            // this WARN to ~once per player.js generation per open.
+            let e = DeobfError::NsigIdentity;
+            log::warn!("nsig deobf returned its input unchanged (identity) → NOT caching (would permanently throttle); player.js likely has an unstripped guard");
+            self.on_eval_failure(Derived::Nsig, fresh, &e);
+            return Err(e);
+        }
 
         {
             let mut state = self.state.lock();
@@ -408,6 +442,10 @@ impl PlayerManager {
                         // The post-cooldown probe itself failed (network).
                         // Re-arm the cooldown so we don't probe on every
                         // subsequent call while the network is down.
+                        log::warn!(
+                            "player.js {} post-cooldown probe failed ({fetch_err}); re-arming cooldown",
+                            which.label()
+                        );
                         let mut state = self.state.lock();
                         if let Some(m) = which.memo_mut(&mut state).as_mut() {
                             m.at = Instant::now();
@@ -425,6 +463,11 @@ impl PlayerManager {
                     let mut state = self.state.lock();
                     match which.memo_mut(&mut state).as_mut() {
                         Some(m) => {
+                            log::warn!(
+                                "player.js {} still broken: YT is still serving the known-bad player.js after cooldown (player={})",
+                                which.label(),
+                                strip_query(&m.player_url)
+                            );
                             m.at = Instant::now();
                             return Err(m.error.clone());
                         }
@@ -458,6 +501,12 @@ impl PlayerManager {
                     // the memo so every further call within the cooldown
                     // replays instead of re-fetching ~1.7 MB per format.
                     let player_url = state.player_url.clone().unwrap_or_default();
+                    log::warn!(
+                        "player.js {} extraction failed ({e}); memoizing for {}s (player={})",
+                        which.label(),
+                        FAILURE_COOLDOWN.as_secs(),
+                        strip_query(&player_url)
+                    );
                     *which.memo_mut(&mut state) = Some(FailMemo {
                         player_url,
                         error: e.clone(),
@@ -467,6 +516,12 @@ impl PlayerManager {
                 }
             };
         }
+        // Invariant breach: the 2-pass retry loop is bounded and should always
+        // resolve; exhausting it means an unexpected concurrent-invalidation storm.
+        log::error!(
+            "player.js {} unavailable after retry (concurrent cache-invalidation loop exhausted)",
+            which.label()
+        );
         Err(DeobfError::FetchPlayerCode(
             "player.js unavailable after retry (concurrent cache invalidation)".into(),
         ))
@@ -482,6 +537,16 @@ impl PlayerManager {
     fn on_eval_failure(&self, which: Derived, fresh: bool, error: &DeobfError) {
         let mut state = self.state.lock();
         let player_url = state.player_url.clone().unwrap_or_default();
+        log::warn!(
+            "player.js {} eval failed ({error}); invalidating{} (player={})",
+            which.label(),
+            if fresh {
+                " + memoizing (fresh download)"
+            } else {
+                " for refetch"
+            },
+            strip_query(&player_url)
+        );
         state.invalidate();
         if fresh {
             *which.memo_mut(&mut state) = Some(FailMemo {
@@ -550,6 +615,13 @@ impl PlayerManager {
                 *memo = None;
             }
         }
+        // The one INFO that makes every sig/nsig incident diagnosable: which
+        // player.js generation is installed + its size. Lifecycle, ~1/rotation.
+        log::info!(
+            "player.js installed: {} ({}KB, fresh)",
+            strip_query(&url),
+            code.len() / 1024
+        );
         state.player_url = Some(url);
         state.player_code = Some(code);
         Ok(Ensured::Ready { fresh: true })
@@ -719,6 +791,12 @@ mod tests {
     // (no outer-global references), so eval succeeds for any input.
     const PLAYER_GOOD: &str = r#"m85=function(p){var a=p.split("");a.reverse();return a.join("");};dummy=function(q){return Q[1];};var foo={signatureTimestamp:20244};"#;
 
+    // Parses + evals fine, but the nsig function returns its INPUT unchanged
+    // (identity) — the neutered-deobfuscator shape (e.g. an unstripped guard).
+    // Name matches regex 0 via the trailing `return Q[1]`; the extracted body
+    // is just `m85=function(p){return p;}`.
+    const PLAYER_NSIG_IDENTITY: &str = r#"m85=function(p){return p;};dummy=function(q){return Q[1];};var foo={signatureTimestamp:20244};"#;
+
     // Parses fine but throws for EVERY input at eval time.
     const PLAYER_EVAL_THROWS: &str = r#"m85=function(p){throw Error("boom");return Q[1];};"#;
 
@@ -753,6 +831,29 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(stub.count(), 2, "memo must suppress refetching");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn nsig_identity_output_is_rejected_and_not_cached() {
+        let _g = GLOBAL_DOWNLOADER_LOCK.lock();
+        let stub = Arc::new(StubDownloader::new("aaaaaaaa", PLAYER_NSIG_IDENTITY));
+        install(&stub);
+        let mgr = PlayerManager::new();
+
+        // The deobfuscator returns its input unchanged → must surface as
+        // NsigIdentity, NOT be treated as a successful deobfuscation.
+        let err = mgr
+            .url_with_throttling_parameter_deobfuscated("vid", "https://x/?n=abc")
+            .unwrap_err();
+        assert!(matches!(err, DeobfError::NsigIdentity), "got {err:?}");
+
+        // Critically, the identity result must NOT be cached — caching it would
+        // serve THROTTLED URLs for the whole session (the permanent-throttle trap).
+        assert_eq!(
+            mgr.throttling_parameter_cache_size(),
+            0,
+            "identity output must never be cached"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn artifact_memos_are_independent() {
         let _g = GLOBAL_DOWNLOADER_LOCK.lock();
diff --git a/src/youtube/js/runtime.rs b/src/youtube/js/runtime.rs
index 2b7172a..da0a07e 100644
--- a/src/youtube/js/runtime.rs
+++ b/src/youtube/js/runtime.rs
@@ -64,10 +64,11 @@ pub fn compile_or_throw(snippet: &str) -> Result<(), DeobfError> {
 /// with one string argument, returns the toString of the result.
 /// Mirrors NPE `JavaScript.run(snippet, functionName, parameters)`.
 pub fn run(snippet: &str, function_name: &str, parameter: &str) -> Result<String, DeobfError> {
+    let started = Instant::now();
     let runtime = guarded_runtime().map_err(|e| DeobfError::JsRuntimeFailed(e.to_string()))?;
     let context =
         Context::full(&runtime).map_err(|e| DeobfError::JsRuntimeFailed(e.to_string()))?;
-    context.with(|ctx| -> Result<String, DeobfError> {
+    let out = context.with(|ctx| -> Result<String, DeobfError> {
         ctx.eval::<(), _>(snippet)
             .map_err(|e| DeobfError::JsRuntimeFailed(format!("eval: {e}")))?;
         let func: Function = ctx
@@ -80,7 +81,18 @@ pub fn run(snippet: &str, function_name: &str, parameter: &str) -> Result<String
             .call((parameter,))
             .map_err(|e| DeobfError::JsRuntimeFailed(format!("call {function_name}: {e}")))?;
         Ok(result)
-    })
+    });
+    // Distinguish the interrupt-handler deadline abort (a pathological /
+    // looping player.js) from an ordinary eval error — both surface as a
+    // generic QuickJS error at the eval site. `function_name` is a deobf
+    // function id (e.g. "deobfuscate"), not user data.
+    if out.is_err() && started.elapsed() >= JS_DEADLINE {
+        log::warn!(
+            "JS deadline ({}s) hit during `{function_name}` — execution aborted (pathological player.js?)",
+            JS_DEADLINE.as_secs()
+        );
+    }
+    out
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/src/youtube/js/signature.rs b/src/youtube/js/signature.rs
index 423f718..51592c5 100644
--- a/src/youtube/js/signature.rs
+++ b/src/youtube/js/signature.rs
@@ -101,7 +101,10 @@ pub fn deobfuscate_function_body(
     let function_base = format!("{function_name}=function");
     match match_to_closing_brace(player_code, &function_base) {
         Ok(body) => Ok(format!("{function_base}{body}")),
-        Err(_) => deobfuscate_with_regex(player_code, function_name),
+        Err(_) => {
+            log::debug!("sig body: lexer brace-match failed, falling back to regex extraction");
+            deobfuscate_with_regex(player_code, function_name)
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/youtube/potoken/mod.rs b/src/youtube/potoken/mod.rs
index 86b4630..786d157 100644
--- a/src/youtube/potoken/mod.rs
+++ b/src/youtube/potoken/mod.rs
@@ -113,10 +113,12 @@ static REGISTERED_PROVIDER: Lazy<RwLock<Option<Arc<dyn PoTokenProvider>>>> =
     Lazy::new(|| RwLock::new(None));
 
 pub fn set_po_token_provider(provider: Arc<dyn PoTokenProvider>) {
+    log::info!("poToken provider registered");
     *REGISTERED_PROVIDER.write() = Some(provider);
 }
 
 pub fn clear_po_token_provider() {
+    log::info!("poToken provider cleared");
     *REGISTERED_PROVIDER.write() = None;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/youtube/search_extractor.rs b/src/youtube/search_extractor.rs
index 2fc5db0..955ab1e 100644
--- a/src/youtube/search_extractor.rs
+++ b/src/youtube/search_extractor.rs
@@ -69,7 +69,15 @@ pub fn search(query: &str, filter: SearchFilter) -> Result<SearchInfo, Extractio
     }
     let parsed: Value = serde_json::from_str(resp.response_body())
         .map_err(|e| ExtractionError::Parsing(ParsingError::JsonShape(e.to_string())))?;
-    Ok(parse_search_response(query, &parsed))
+    let info = parse_search_response(query, &parsed);
+    log::info!(
+        "search ok: query_len={} items={} corrected={} continuation={}",
+        query.len(),
+        info.videos.len(),
+        info.corrected_query.is_some(),
+        info.continuation_token.is_some()
+    );
+    Ok(info)
 }
 
 /// Fetch the NEXT page of search results via a continuation token.
@@ -105,7 +113,13 @@ pub fn search_continuation(token: &str) -> Result<ContinuationPage, ExtractionEr
     }
     let parsed: Value = serde_json::from_str(resp.response_body())
         .map_err(|e| ExtractionError::Parsing(ParsingError::JsonShape(e.to_string())))?;
-    Ok(parse_search_continuation(&parsed))
+    let page = parse_search_continuation(&parsed);
+    log::info!(
+        "search_continuation ok: items={} more={}",
+        page.items.len(),
+        page.continuation.is_some()
+    );
+    Ok(page)
 }
 
 /// Parse a search continuation response. Items arrive under
@@ -116,6 +130,9 @@ pub fn search_continuation(token: &str) -> Result<ContinuationPage, ExtractionEr
 /// continuationItemRenderer carrying the next token.
 pub fn parse_search_continuation(body: &Value) -> ContinuationPage {
     let Some(items) = continuation_items(body, "onResponseReceivedCommands") else {
+        if body.as_object().map(|m| !m.is_empty()).unwrap_or(false) {
+            log::warn!("search continuation: no continuationItems found (shape changed?); ending pagination");
+        }
         return ContinuationPage::default();
     };
     let mut info = SearchInfo::default();
@@ -155,6 +172,16 @@ pub fn parse_search_response(query: &str, body: &Value) -> SearchInfo {
         .and_then(|c| c.get("sectionListRenderer"))
         .and_then(|c| c.get("contents"));
 
+    // A non-empty response body whose primary results path is gone = a layout
+    // change; we'd otherwise silently return zero results. Log query_len, never
+    // the query.
+    if primary.is_none() && body.as_object().map(|m| !m.is_empty()).unwrap_or(false) {
+        log::warn!(
+            "search: primary results path missing (layout change?); 0 results for query_len={}",
+            query.len()
+        );
+    }
+
     if let Some(sections) = primary.and_then(|v| v.as_array()) {
         for section in sections {
             if let Some(items) = section
diff --git a/src/youtube/stream_extractor.rs b/src/youtube/stream_extractor.rs
index ea0adcf..bc10fdd 100644
--- a/src/youtube/stream_extractor.rs
+++ b/src/youtube/stream_extractor.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ use crate::youtube::itag::{lookup as itag_lookup, ItagType};
 #[cfg(test)]
 use crate::youtube::itag::MediaFormat;
 use crate::youtube::js::PlayerManager;
-use crate::youtube::potoken::{po_token_provider, PoTokenResult};
+use crate::youtube::potoken::{po_token_provider, PoTokenError, PoTokenResult};
 use crate::youtube::stream_helper::{self, generate_content_playback_nonce};
 use crate::youtube::xtags;
 
@@ -128,9 +128,9 @@ pub fn stream_info_with(
         options.android_streaming_pot.as_deref(),
         options.android_visitor_data.as_deref(),
         || {
-            provider
-                .as_ref()
-                .and_then(|p| p.get_android_client_po_token(video_id).ok().flatten())
+            provider.as_ref().and_then(|p| {
+                provider_token(p.get_android_client_po_token(video_id), "ANDROID", video_id)
+            })
         },
     );
 
@@ -157,11 +157,18 @@ pub fn stream_info_with(
     // the win is the warm/success path. Worst case is a rare, bounded cold-fail
     // delay — never a change in what's extracted.
     let (android_result, signature_timestamp) = std::thread::scope(|s| {
-        let sig_ts = s.spawn(|| {
-            PlayerManager::instance()
-                .signature_timestamp(video_id)
-                .unwrap_or(0)
-        });
+        let sig_ts = s.spawn(
+            || match PlayerManager::instance().signature_timestamp(video_id) {
+                Ok(ts) => ts,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    // WARN, not fatal: sig-required (WEB-family) formats may 403,
+                    // but the android-primary formats carry direct URLs. The
+                    // timestamp also feeds the WEB metadata playbackContext.
+                    log::warn!("[{video_id}] signature_timestamp unavailable ({e}); using 0");
+                    0
+                }
+            },
+        );
         let android = fetch_android(
             video_id,
             &localization,
@@ -172,8 +179,16 @@ pub fn stream_info_with(
                 .map(|t| t.player_request_po_token.as_str()),
             android_token.as_ref().map(|t| t.visitor_data.as_str()),
         );
-        // A panicked worker joins as Err → 0, same as an extraction failure.
-        (android, sig_ts.join().unwrap_or(0))
+        // A panicked worker is an invariant breach (the spawned closure never
+        // panics by construction) → ERROR; still degrade to 0 like a failure.
+        let ts = match sig_ts.join() {
+            Ok(ts) => ts,
+            Err(_) => {
+                log::error!("[{video_id}] signature_timestamp worker thread panicked; using 0");
+                0
+            }
+        };
+        (android, ts)
     });
     // ── Primary player-response selection: ANDROID → VISIONOS cascade ────────
     // ANDROID was the REQUIRED primary, but the 2026 poToken/BotGuard bot-wall
@@ -228,9 +243,9 @@ pub fn stream_info_with(
             options.ios_streaming_pot.as_deref(),
             options.ios_visitor_data.as_deref(),
             || {
-                provider
-                    .as_ref()
-                    .and_then(|p| p.get_ios_client_po_token(video_id).ok().flatten())
+                provider.as_ref().and_then(|p| {
+                    provider_token(p.get_ios_client_po_token(video_id), "IOS", video_id)
+                })
             },
         )
     } else {
@@ -250,7 +265,16 @@ pub fn stream_info_with(
             ios_token.as_ref().map(|t| t.visitor_data.as_str()),
         ) {
             Ok(r) if !is_player_response_not_valid(&r, video_id) => (Some(r), Some(ios_cpn)),
-            _ => (None, None),
+            Ok(_) => {
+                log::warn!(
+                    "[{video_id}] iOS add-on response was a decoy (videoId mismatch); dropped"
+                );
+                (None, None)
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                log::warn!("[{video_id}] iOS add-on fetch failed ({e}); dropped");
+                (None, None)
+            }
         }
     } else {
         (None, None)
@@ -277,7 +301,16 @@ pub fn stream_info_with(
                 &cpn,
             ) {
                 Ok(r) if !is_player_response_not_valid(&r, video_id) => (Some(r), Some(cpn)),
-                _ => (None, None),
+                Ok(_) => {
+                    log::warn!(
+                        "[{video_id}] visionOS add-on response was a decoy (videoId mismatch); dropped"
+                    );
+                    (None, None)
+                }
+                Err(e) => {
+                    log::warn!("[{video_id}] visionOS add-on fetch failed ({e}); dropped");
+                    (None, None)
+                }
             }
         } else {
             (None, None)
@@ -362,6 +395,17 @@ pub fn stream_info_with(
     );
     populate_captions(&mut info, &player_response);
 
+    log::info!(
+        "[{video_id}] extraction ok: primary={} audio={} video={} video_only={}",
+        if primary_is_visionos {
+            "VISIONOS"
+        } else {
+            "ANDROID"
+        },
+        info.audio_streams.len(),
+        info.video_streams.len(),
+        info.video_only_streams.len(),
+    );
     Ok(info)
 }
 
@@ -392,9 +436,9 @@ pub fn stream_metadata(video_id: &str) -> Result<StreamInfo, ExtractionError> {
     // registered (the default) this resolves to None → anonymous reel.
     let provider = po_token_provider();
     let android_token: Option<PoTokenResult> = options_or_provider(None, None, None, || {
-        provider
-            .as_ref()
-            .and_then(|p| p.get_android_client_po_token(video_id).ok().flatten())
+        provider.as_ref().and_then(|p| {
+            provider_token(p.get_android_client_po_token(video_id), "ANDROID", video_id)
+        })
     });
 
     let android_cpn = generate_content_playback_nonce();
@@ -432,9 +476,36 @@ pub fn stream_metadata(video_id: &str) -> Result<StreamInfo, ExtractionError> {
         ..StreamInfo::default()
     };
     populate_video_details(&mut info, &player_response);
+    log::info!(
+        "[{video_id}] stream_metadata ok: title_len={} views={} duration={}s",
+        info.name.len(),
+        info.view_count,
+        info.duration_seconds,
+    );
     Ok(info)
 }
 
+/// Unwrap a PoTokenProvider result, logging a WARN on the Err arm the old
+/// `.ok().flatten()` swallowed silently. `Ok(None)` = provider declined (go
+/// anonymous, no log); `Err` = provider tried and failed (still go anonymous,
+/// but it's a degradation worth a breadcrumb). Never logs the token — only the
+/// error kind + client + videoId.
+fn provider_token(
+    result: Result<Option<PoTokenResult>, PoTokenError>,
+    client: &str,
+    video_id: &str,
+) -> Option<PoTokenResult> {
+    match result {
+        Ok(opt) => opt,
+        Err(e) => {
+            log::warn!(
+                "[{video_id}] {client} poToken provider errored ({e}); continuing anonymous"
+            );
+            None
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 fn options_or_provider(
     opt_player_token: Option<&str>,
     opt_streaming_token: Option<&str>,
@@ -561,13 +632,21 @@ fn fetch_web_metadata(
     content_country: &ContentCountry,
     signature_timestamp: i32,
 ) -> Value {
-    stream_helper::get_web_metadata_player_response(
+    match stream_helper::get_web_metadata_player_response(
         video_id,
         localization,
         content_country,
         signature_timestamp,
-    )
-    .unwrap_or(Value::Null)
+    ) {
+        Ok(v) => v,
+        Err(e) => {
+            // WEB metadata is best-effort; on failure we fall back to the
+            // primary response's videoDetails thumbnails and lose upload
+            // date / category / hi-res thumbnails. Also masks a WEB-client wall.
+            log::warn!("[{video_id}] WEB metadata fetch failed ({e}); upload date/category/hi-res thumbnails unavailable");
+            Value::Null
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 fn check_playability_status(player_response: &Value) -> Result<(), ExtractionError> {
@@ -583,7 +662,7 @@ fn check_playability_status(player_response: &Value) -> Result<(), ExtractionErr
     let mapped = match status_code {
         "LOGIN_REQUIRED" => {
             if reason_lc.contains("a bot") {
-                ContentUnavailable::Other("sign in to confirm you're not a bot".into())
+                ContentUnavailable::BotDetected
             } else if reason_lc.contains("inappropriate") {
                 ContentUnavailable::AgeRestricted
             } else if reason_lc.contains("private") {
@@ -657,15 +736,28 @@ fn select_primary(
     // ANDROID unusable → drop the (likely poisoned) visitorData, then try
     // VISIONOS as the primary. On any VISIONOS failure, surface the ORIGINAL
     // ANDROID error rather than the visionOS one.
+    // `android_error`'s Display carries the playabilityStatus reason (the
+    // choke point in exceptions.rs strips any URL, so no stream URL leaks).
+    log::warn!("[{video_id}] ANDROID primary unusable ({android_error}); trying VISIONOS");
     on_fallback();
     match fetch_visionos() {
-        Ok(resp) if primary_response_usable(&resp, video_id).is_ok() => Ok((resp, true)),
-        _ => Err(android_error),
+        Ok(resp) if primary_response_usable(&resp, video_id).is_ok() => {
+            log::info!("[{video_id}] primary=VISIONOS (ANDROID fallback succeeded)");
+            Ok((resp, true))
+        }
+        _ => {
+            log::warn!("[{video_id}] extraction failed: ANDROID and VISIONOS both unusable ({android_error})");
+            Err(android_error)
+        }
     }
 }
 
 fn populate_video_details(info: &mut StreamInfo, player_response: &Value) {
     let Some(vd) = player_response.get("videoDetails") else {
+        log::warn!(
+            "[{}] player response had no videoDetails; title/uploader/duration left empty",
+            info.video_id
+        );
         return;
     };
     if let Some(s) = vd.get("title").and_then(|v| v.as_str()) {
@@ -759,6 +851,22 @@ fn populate_microformat(info: &mut StreamInfo, web_metadata: &Value) {
     }
 }
 
+/// Per-EXTRACTION accumulator for per-format URL-processing outcomes, so the
+/// degradations that happen inside the per-format loop are logged ONCE (in
+/// `populate_streams`) as aggregate counters instead of spamming a line per
+/// format. Threaded through `process_url` / `build_*`; never logged from inside
+/// the loop.
+#[derive(Default)]
+struct UrlProcessStats {
+    /// Formats that shipped the THROTTLED original URL because nsig deobf was
+    /// unavailable (`url_with_throttling_parameter_deobfuscated` Err).
+    nsig_fallback: u32,
+    /// Formats that took the (android-primary-rare) signatureCipher path.
+    cipher_path: u32,
+    /// signatureCipher-path formats dropped because sig deobf failed.
+    cipher_sig_failed: u32,
+}
+
 /// One client's streamingData plus the tags every format from it carries.
 /// Holds borrowed `&Value`s into the (function-lived) player responses.
 struct FormatSource<'a> {
@@ -794,9 +902,13 @@ fn populate_streams(
     sources: &[FormatSource],
     video_id: &str,
 ) -> Result<(), ExtractionError> {
+    // Per-call accumulator — every per-format degradation is counted here and
+    // logged ONCE below, never per iteration.
+    let mut stats = UrlProcessStats::default();
+
     // Progressive: streamingData.formats[]
     for (fmt, _client, cpn, pot) in merge_formats(sources, "formats") {
-        if let Some(stream) = build_video_progressive(fmt, video_id, cpn, pot)? {
+        if let Some(stream) = build_video_progressive(fmt, video_id, cpn, pot, &mut stats)? {
             push_video_dedup(&mut info.video_streams, stream);
         }
     }
@@ -808,15 +920,58 @@ fn populate_streams(
             .and_then(|v| v.as_str())
             .unwrap_or("");
         if mime.starts_with("audio/") {
-            if let Some(audio) = build_audio(fmt, video_id, cpn, pot)? {
+            if let Some(audio) = build_audio(fmt, video_id, cpn, pot, &mut stats)? {
                 push_audio_dedup(&mut info.audio_streams, audio);
             }
         } else if mime.starts_with("video/") {
-            if let Some(video) = build_video_only(fmt, video_id, cpn, pot)? {
+            if let Some(video) = build_video_only(fmt, video_id, cpn, pot, &mut stats)? {
                 push_video_dedup(&mut info.video_only_streams, video);
             }
         }
     }
+
+    // ── Aggregate degradation WARNs (one line each per extraction) ──────────
+    if stats.nsig_fallback > 0 {
+        log::warn!(
+            "[{video_id}] {} format(s) shipped THROTTLED URLs (nsig deobf unavailable)",
+            stats.nsig_fallback
+        );
+    }
+    if stats.cipher_path > 0 {
+        log::warn!(
+            "[{video_id}] {} format(s) took the signatureCipher path ({} sig-deobf failure(s))",
+            stats.cipher_path,
+            stats.cipher_sig_failed
+        );
+    }
+    let total = info.video_streams.len() + info.audio_streams.len() + info.video_only_streams.len();
+    if total == 0 {
+        // Playability passed but nothing built — report the raw per-source
+        // format counts YT actually returned so a "why no streams" incident is
+        // diagnosable (itag-bank miss vs empty streamingData vs all-cipher).
+        let counts: Vec<String> = sources
+            .iter()
+            .map(|s| {
+                let f = s
+                    .streaming_data
+                    .get("formats")
+                    .and_then(|v| v.as_array())
+                    .map(|a| a.len())
+                    .unwrap_or(0);
+                let af = s
+                    .streaming_data
+                    .get("adaptiveFormats")
+                    .and_then(|v| v.as_array())
+                    .map(|a| a.len())
+                    .unwrap_or(0);
+                format!("{}={}+{}", s.client, f, af)
+            })
+            .collect();
+        log::warn!(
+            "[{video_id}] playability OK but ZERO usable streams built (per-source formats+adaptive: {})",
+            counts.join(" ")
+        );
+    }
     Ok(())
 }
 
@@ -914,12 +1069,15 @@ fn process_url(
     video_id: &str,
     cpn: &str,
     pot: Option<&str>,
+    stats: &mut UrlProcessStats,
 ) -> Result<Option<String>, ExtractionError> {
     let mut url = if let Some(u) = raw_format.get("url").and_then(|v| v.as_str()) {
         u.to_string()
     } else {
         // signatureCipher path — WEB-family only; not exercised in the
         // Android-primary flow but mirror NPE's behavior for completeness.
+        // Counted per-extraction (aggregate WARN in populate_streams).
+        stats.cipher_path += 1;
         let cipher_str = raw_format
             .get("signatureCipher")
             .or_else(|| raw_format.get("cipher"))
@@ -940,7 +1098,10 @@ fn process_url(
         // the Android-primary flow.)
         let deobf = match PlayerManager::instance().deobfuscate_signature(video_id, s) {
             Ok(d) => d,
-            Err(_) => return Ok(None),
+            Err(_) => {
+                stats.cipher_sig_failed += 1;
+                return Ok(None);
+            }
         };
         format!("{base}&{sp}={deobf}")
     };
@@ -956,9 +1117,19 @@ fn process_url(
     // zero network instead of re-downloading ~1.7 MB per format, and retries
     // after a cooldown / as soon as a new player.js ships. (NPE parity; straw
     // audits 2026-07-04 + 2026-07-28 H2.)
-    url = PlayerManager::instance()
+    url = match PlayerManager::instance()
         .url_with_throttling_parameter_deobfuscated(video_id, &url)
-        .unwrap_or(url);
+    {
+        Ok(u) => u,
+        Err(_e) => {
+            // nsig deobf unavailable (fetch/build/eval/identity failure) → ship
+            // the THROTTLED original URL. YouTube still serves it, rate-limited.
+            // Counted per-extraction; populate_streams emits ONE aggregate WARN.
+            // Deliberately NOT logged here (per-format = spam).
+            stats.nsig_fallback += 1;
+            url
+        }
+    };
 
     let sep_cpn = if url.contains('?') { '&' } else { '?' };
     url = format!("{url}{sep_cpn}cpn={cpn}");
@@ -987,12 +1158,13 @@ fn build_video_progressive(
     video_id: &str,
     cpn: &str,
     pot: Option<&str>,
+    stats: &mut UrlProcessStats,
 ) -> Result<Option<VideoStream>, ExtractionError> {
     let itag_id = fmt.get("itag").and_then(|v| v.as_u64()).unwrap_or(0) as u32;
     let Some(itag) = itag_lookup(itag_id) else {
         return Ok(None);
     };
-    let Some(url) = process_url(fmt, video_id, cpn, pot)? else {
+    let Some(url) = process_url(fmt, video_id, cpn, pot, stats)? else {
         return Ok(None);
     };
     Ok(Some(VideoStream {
@@ -1019,6 +1191,7 @@ fn build_video_only(
     video_id: &str,
     cpn: &str,
     pot: Option<&str>,
+    stats: &mut UrlProcessStats,
 ) -> Result<Option<VideoStream>, ExtractionError> {
     let itag_id = fmt.get("itag").and_then(|v| v.as_u64()).unwrap_or(0) as u32;
     let Some(itag) = itag_lookup(itag_id) else {
@@ -1027,7 +1200,7 @@ fn build_video_only(
     if itag.item_type != ItagType::VideoOnly {
         return Ok(None);
     }
-    let Some(url) = process_url(fmt, video_id, cpn, pot)? else {
+    let Some(url) = process_url(fmt, video_id, cpn, pot, stats)? else {
         return Ok(None);
     };
     Ok(Some(VideoStream {
@@ -1054,6 +1227,7 @@ fn build_audio(
     video_id: &str,
     cpn: &str,
     pot: Option<&str>,
+    stats: &mut UrlProcessStats,
 ) -> Result<Option<AudioStream>, ExtractionError> {
     let itag_id = fmt.get("itag").and_then(|v| v.as_u64()).unwrap_or(0) as u32;
     let Some(itag) = itag_lookup(itag_id) else {
@@ -1062,7 +1236,7 @@ fn build_audio(
     if itag.item_type != ItagType::Audio {
         return Ok(None);
     }
-    let Some(url) = process_url(fmt, video_id, cpn, pot)? else {
+    let Some(url) = process_url(fmt, video_id, cpn, pot, stats)? else {
         return Ok(None);
     };
     let audio_track = fmt.get("audioTrack");
@@ -1214,6 +1388,26 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn playability_bot_wall_maps_to_bot_detected() {
+        // The 2026 poToken/BotGuard wall on the pot-less client. It must map to
+        // the dedicated BotDetected variant (greppable / classifiable), and its
+        // Display must stay byte-identical to the old Other(...) string so
+        // string-matching callers keep working.
+        let resp = json!({
+            "playabilityStatus": {
+                "status": "LOGIN_REQUIRED",
+                "reason": "Sign in to confirm you’re not a bot. This helps protect our community."
+            }
+        });
+        match check_playability_status(&resp).unwrap_err() {
+            ExtractionError::ContentUnavailable(ref cu @ ContentUnavailable::BotDetected) => {
+                assert_eq!(cu.to_string(), "sign in to confirm you're not a bot");
+            }
+            other => panic!("expected BotDetected, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn decoy_detected() {
         let resp = json!({"videoDetails": {"videoId": "DIFFERENT_ID"}});
@@ -1560,7 +1754,9 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn xtags_descriptive_sets_track_type_and_is_descriptive() {
         let fmt = audio_fmt(Some("ChQKBWFjb250EgtkZXNjcmlwdGl2ZQ"), true);
-        let a = build_audio(&fmt, "vid", "cpn", None).unwrap().unwrap();
+        let a = build_audio(&fmt, "vid", "cpn", None, &mut UrlProcessStats::default())
+            .unwrap()
+            .unwrap();
         assert_eq!(a.track_type, Some(AudioTrackType::Descriptive));
         assert!(a.is_descriptive);
     }
@@ -1570,7 +1766,9 @@ mod tests {
         // acont=dubbed → Dubbed + is_descriptive false, even though
         // audioIsDefault=false would make the legacy heuristic say "descriptive".
         let fmt = audio_fmt(Some("Cg8KBWFjb250EgZkdWJiZWQ"), false);
-        let a = build_audio(&fmt, "vid", "cpn", None).unwrap().unwrap();
+        let a = build_audio(&fmt, "vid", "cpn", None, &mut UrlProcessStats::default())
+            .unwrap()
+            .unwrap();
         assert_eq!(a.track_type, Some(AudioTrackType::Dubbed));
         assert!(!a.is_descriptive);
     }
@@ -1578,7 +1776,9 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn xtags_original_maps_to_original() {
         let fmt = audio_fmt(Some("ChEKBWFjb250EghvcmlnaW5hbA"), true);
-        let a = build_audio(&fmt, "vid", "cpn", None).unwrap().unwrap();
+        let a = build_audio(&fmt, "vid", "cpn", None, &mut UrlProcessStats::default())
+            .unwrap()
+            .unwrap();
         assert_eq!(a.track_type, Some(AudioTrackType::Original));
         assert!(!a.is_descriptive);
     }
@@ -1586,15 +1786,27 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn absent_xtags_falls_back_to_audio_is_default_heuristic() {
         // No xtags → track_type None → is_descriptive == !audioIsDefault.
-        let a = build_audio(&audio_fmt(None, false), "vid", "cpn", None)
-            .unwrap()
-            .unwrap();
+        let a = build_audio(
+            &audio_fmt(None, false),
+            "vid",
+            "cpn",
+            None,
+            &mut UrlProcessStats::default(),
+        )
+        .unwrap()
+        .unwrap();
         assert_eq!(a.track_type, None);
         assert!(a.is_descriptive); // !false
 
-        let a = build_audio(&audio_fmt(None, true), "vid", "cpn", None)
-            .unwrap()
-            .unwrap();
+        let a = build_audio(
+            &audio_fmt(None, true),
+            "vid",
+            "cpn",
+            None,
+            &mut UrlProcessStats::default(),
+        )
+        .unwrap()
+        .unwrap();
         assert_eq!(a.track_type, None);
         assert!(!a.is_descriptive); // !true
     }
@@ -1602,9 +1814,15 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn unparseable_xtags_falls_back_to_heuristic() {
         // Garbage xtags → extract_audio_track_type None → heuristic used.
-        let a = build_audio(&audio_fmt(Some("!!!not-b64!!!"), false), "vid", "cpn", None)
-            .unwrap()
-            .unwrap();
+        let a = build_audio(
+            &audio_fmt(Some("!!!not-b64!!!"), false),
+            "vid",
+            "cpn",
+            None,
+            &mut UrlProcessStats::default(),
+        )
+        .unwrap()
+        .unwrap();
         assert_eq!(a.track_type, None);
         assert!(a.is_descriptive);
     }
diff --git a/src/youtube/stream_helper.rs b/src/youtube/stream_helper.rs
index e43c1f7..fcfcfb8 100644
--- a/src/youtube/stream_helper.rs
+++ b/src/youtube/stream_helper.rs
@@ -142,8 +142,21 @@ fn get_visitor_data(
     // best-effort None (the caller then proceeds without visitorData). An
     // expired-but-present cache entry is deliberately NOT served on a failed
     // refetch: a stale visitorData is the thing we're rotating away from.
-    let parsed = post_youtube(&url, &body, headers).ok()?;
-    let visitor = visitor_data_from_response(&parsed)?;
+    // WARN because losing visitorData weakens attestation and kneecaps the
+    // visionOS bot-wall survivor. post_youtube already DEBUG-logged the
+    // HTTP-level detail; this is the semantic degradation. `domain` is a
+    // static endpoint constant (no secrets).
+    let parsed = match post_youtube(&url, &body, headers) {
+        Ok(p) => p,
+        Err(_e) => {
+            log::warn!("visitorData unavailable ({domain}visitor_id fetch failed); proceeding without it (attestation/visionOS weakened)");
+            return None;
+        }
+    };
+    let Some(visitor) = visitor_data_from_response(&parsed) else {
+        log::warn!("visitorData unavailable ({domain}visitor_id response had no visitorData); proceeding without it");
+        return None;
+    };
     *VISITOR_DATA_CACHE.write() = Some(CachedVisitorData {
         value: visitor.clone(),
         at: std::time::Instant::now(),
@@ -157,6 +170,9 @@ fn get_visitor_data(
 /// the primary path, and since that failure aborts extraction the value would
 /// otherwise never self-heal.
 pub(crate) fn reset_visitor_data_cache() {
+    // Lifecycle INFO: the self-heal trigger. Covers both the primary-cascade
+    // path and the stream_metadata twin path.
+    log::info!("visitorData cache reset (primary response rejected; next fetch mints fresh)");
     *VISITOR_DATA_CACHE.write() = None;
 }
 
@@ -459,14 +475,32 @@ fn post_youtube(
         // put it in an error string (they reach Kotlin exception messages
         // and logs). Scheme+host+path identifies the endpoint just fine.
         let endpoint = url.split(['?', '#']).next().unwrap_or(url);
+        // body_len is the bot-wall tell (an HTML challenge page has a
+        // distinctive size vs a JSON error). DEBUG — per-request breadcrumb;
+        // the semantic WARN is emitted by the caller.
+        log::debug!(
+            "post_youtube {endpoint} → HTTP {} ({}B body)",
+            resp.response_code(),
+            resp.response_body().len()
+        );
         return Err(ExtractionError::Network(NetworkError::Transport(format!(
             "HTTP {} from {endpoint}",
             resp.response_code()
         ))));
     }
-    let parsed: Value = serde_json::from_str(resp.response_body())
-        .map_err(|e| ExtractionError::Parsing(ParsingError::JsonShape(e.to_string())))?;
-    Ok(parsed)
+    match serde_json::from_str(resp.response_body()) {
+        Ok(parsed) => Ok(parsed),
+        Err(e) => {
+            let endpoint = url.split(['?', '#']).next().unwrap_or(url);
+            log::debug!(
+                "post_youtube {endpoint} → 200 but body was not JSON ({}B): {e}",
+                resp.response_body().len()
+            );
+            Err(ExtractionError::Parsing(ParsingError::JsonShape(
+                e.to_string(),
+            )))
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]