diff --git a/Tusker/TimelineLikeController.swift b/Tusker/TimelineLikeController.swift
index e64f5aa8..9eae8333 100644
--- a/Tusker/TimelineLikeController.swift
+++ b/Tusker/TimelineLikeController.swift
@@ -38,7 +38,10 @@ actor TimelineLikeController<Item> {
     
     private(set) var state = State.notLoadedInitial {
         willSet {
-            precondition(state.canTransition(to: newValue))
+            guard state.canTransition(to: newValue) else {
+                logger.error("State \(self.state.debugDescription, privacy: .public) cannot transition to \(newValue.debugDescription, privacy: .public)")
+                preconditionFailure("cannot transition to state")
+            }
             logger.debug("State: \(self.state.debugDescription, privacy: .public) -> \(newValue.debugDescription, privacy: .public)")
         }
     }
@@ -118,7 +121,10 @@ actor TimelineLikeController<Item> {
     }
     
     private func emit(event: Event) async {
-        precondition(state.canEmit(event: event))
+        guard state.canEmit(event: event) else {
+            logger.error("State \(self.state.debugDescription, privacy: .public) cannot emit event: \(event.debugDescription, privacy: .public)")
+            preconditionFailure("state cannot emit event")
+        }
         switch event {
         case .addLoadingIndicator:
             await delegate.handleAddLoadingIndicator()
@@ -227,7 +233,7 @@ actor TimelineLikeController<Item> {
         }
     }
     
-    enum Event {
+    enum Event: CustomDebugStringConvertible {
         case addLoadingIndicator
         case removeLoadingIndicator
         case loadAllError(Error, LoadAttemptToken)
@@ -236,6 +242,27 @@ actor TimelineLikeController<Item> {
         case prependItems([Item], LoadAttemptToken)
         case loadOlderError(Error, LoadAttemptToken)
         case appendItems([Item], LoadAttemptToken)
+        
+        var debugDescription: String {
+            switch self {
+            case .addLoadingIndicator:
+                return "addLoadingIndicator"
+            case .removeLoadingIndicator:
+                return "removeLoadingIndicator"
+            case .loadAllError(let error, let token):
+                return "loadAllError(\(error), \(token))"
+            case .replaceAllItems(_, let token):
+                return "replcaeAllItems(<omitted>, \(token))"
+            case .loadNewerError(let error, let token):
+                return "loadNewerError(\(error), \(token))"
+            case .prependItems(_, let token):
+                return "prependItems(<omitted>, \(token))"
+            case .loadOlderError(let error, let token):
+                return "loadOlderError(\(error), \(token))"
+            case .appendItems(_, let token):
+                return "appendItems(<omitted>, \(token))"
+            }
+        }
     }
     
     class LoadAttemptToken: Equatable {