diff --git a/dw-auto-validate.sh b/dw-auto-validate.sh
index 84d8364..5bd0fb6 100755
--- a/dw-auto-validate.sh
+++ b/dw-auto-validate.sh
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ done
 
 log() {
   if [ ${VERBOSE} -eq 1 ]; then
-    echo ${@}
+    echo -e "$@"
   fi
 }
 
@@ -314,17 +314,23 @@ for devfile_url in "${DEVFILE_URL_LIST[@]}"; do
       log -e "\n${GREEN}${DEVWORKSPACE_NAME} is Running${NC}"
     else
       log -e "\n${YELLOW}${DEVWORKSPACE_NAME} failed to start${NC}"
-      echo "TEST ${devfile_url} with ${image} FAILED ❌"
+      echo "TEST ${devfile_url} with ${image} FAILED ❌ (workspace state: ${state}, timed out after ${TIMEOUT}s)"
       failed_test+=("Devfile '$devfile_url' using image '$image'")
       continue
     fi
     log "Validating ${DEVWORKSPACE_NAME} .."
-    validate_devworkspace ${devfile_url}
-    if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+    result=$(validate_devworkspace ${devfile_url})
+    rc=$?
+    if [ ${rc} -eq 0 ]; then
       echo "TEST ${devfile_url} with ${image} PASSED ✅"
       ((success_count++))
     else
-      echo "TEST ${devfile_url} with ${image} FAILED ❌"
+      reason=$(echo "${result}" | grep '^  Reason:' | head -1)
+      if [ -n "${reason}" ]; then
+        echo "TEST ${devfile_url} with ${image} FAILED ❌ ${reason#  Reason: }"
+      else
+        echo "TEST ${devfile_url} with ${image} FAILED ❌"
+      fi
       failed_test+=("Devfile '$devfile_url' using image '$image'")
     fi
     sleep 1s
diff --git a/settings/settings-jetbrains.env b/settings/settings-jetbrains.env
index 368070c..7111339 100644
--- a/settings/settings-jetbrains.env
+++ b/settings/settings-jetbrains.env
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ validate_devworkspace() {
     return 0
   else
     # fail
-    log $(oc exec -n ${DEVWORKSPACE_NS} ${podName} -c ${mainContainerName} -- cat /idea-server/std.out)
+    echo "  Reason: landing page returned HTTP ${response} (expected 200)"
+    oc exec -n ${DEVWORKSPACE_NS} ${podName} -c ${mainContainerName} -- cat /idea-server/std.out
     return 1
   fi
 }
diff --git a/settings/settings-sshd.env b/settings/settings-sshd.env
index 668d215..f6c3ec1 100644
--- a/settings/settings-sshd.env
+++ b/settings/settings-sshd.env
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ validate_devworkspace() {
   oc exec -n ${DEVWORKSPACE_NS} ${podName} -c ${mainContainerName} -- cat /tmp/sshd.log &>/dev/null #always quiet this message an rely on return code
   if [ $? -eq 1 ]; then
     # fail to cat ssh log file
-    log "Failed to cat /tmp/sshd.log file on container"
+    echo "  Reason: could not read /tmp/sshd.log from container"
     return 1
   fi
   res=$(oc exec -n ${DEVWORKSPACE_NS} ${podName} -c ${mainContainerName} -- cat /tmp/sshd.log | grep -q 'Server listening on')
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ validate_devworkspace() {
     return 0
   else
     # fail
-    log "Failed to retrieve sucessfull sshd status log in /tmp/sshd.log file on container"
+    echo "  Reason: 'Server listening on' not found in /tmp/sshd.log"
     return 1
   fi
 }
diff --git a/settings/settings-vscode.env b/settings/settings-vscode.env
index 33a284e..6c1d5b2 100644
--- a/settings/settings-vscode.env
+++ b/settings/settings-vscode.env
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ validate_devworkspace() {
   oc exec -n ${DEVWORKSPACE_NS} ${podName} -c ${mainContainerName} -- cat /checode/entrypoint-logs.txt &>/dev/null #always quiet this message an rely on return code
   if [ $? -eq 1 ]; then
     # fail to cat vscode log file
-    log "Failed to cat /checode/entrypoint-logs.txt file on container"
+    echo "  Reason: could not read /checode/entrypoint-logs.txt from container"
     return 1
   fi
   res=$(oc exec -n ${DEVWORKSPACE_NS} ${podName} -c ${mainContainerName} -- cat /checode/entrypoint-logs.txt | grep -q 'Extension host agent listening on 3100')
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ validate_devworkspace() {
     return 0
   else
     # fail
-    log "Failed to retrieve sucessfull vscode status log in /checode/entrypoint-logs.txt file on container"
-    log $(oc exec -n ${DEVWORKSPACE_NS} ${podName} -c ${mainContainerName} -- cat /checode/entrypoint-logs.txt)
+    echo "  Reason: 'Extension host agent listening on 3100' not found in /checode/entrypoint-logs.txt"
+    oc exec -n ${DEVWORKSPACE_NS} ${podName} -c ${mainContainerName} -- cat /checode/entrypoint-logs.txt
     return 1
   fi
 }