diff --git a/cli.js b/cli.js
index 95faf63..2e3b885 100755
--- a/cli.js
+++ b/cli.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ if (argv.help) {
     '',
     'Options:',
     '--help                Display this help message and exit',
+    '--verbose             Enable logging',
     '--port <port>         The port to listen on (default: 4567)',
     '--path <path>         The path to use for the LevelDB store (in-memory by default)',
     '--createTableMs <ms>  Amount of time tables stay in CREATING state (default: 500)',
@@ -21,4 +22,9 @@ if (argv.help) {
   ].join('\n'))
 }
 
+var winston = require('winston');
+winston.cli();
+winston.level = argv.verbose ? 'debug' : 'off';
+
 require('./index.js')(argv).listen(argv.port || 4567)
+winston.info('starting dynalite server on %d', argv.port || 4567)
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 965daff..d0c457f 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 var http = require('http'),
     crypto = require('crypto'),
     crc32 = require('buffer-crc32'),
+    winston = require('winston'),
     validations = require('./validations'),
     db = require('./db')
 
@@ -191,8 +192,12 @@ function httpHandler(store, req, res) {
         throw e
       }
 
+      winston.debug('[action]', action, data);
       actions[action](store, data, function(err, data) {
-        if (err && err.statusCode) return sendData(req, res, err.body, err.statusCode)
+        if (err && err.statusCode) {
+          winston.error(err.body);
+          return sendData(req, res, err.body, err.statusCode);
+        }
         if (err) throw err
         sendData(req, res, data)
       })
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 96ea2be..465d8ea 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -21,16 +21,17 @@
   "author": "Michael Hart <michael.hart.au@gmail.com>",
   "license": "MIT",
   "dependencies": {
+    "async": "~0.2.9",
+    "big.js": "~2.4.1",
     "buffer-crc32": "~0.2.1",
-    "levelup": "~0.18.2",
-    "memdown": "~0.7.0",
+    "lazy": "~1.0.11",
     "level-sublevel": "~5.1.1",
+    "levelup": "~0.18.2",
     "lock": "~0.0.4",
-    "lazy": "~1.0.11",
+    "memdown": "~0.7.0",
+    "minimist": "~0.0.5",
     "once": "~1.3.0",
-    "async": "~0.2.9",
-    "big.js": "~2.4.1",
-    "minimist": "~0.0.5"
+    "winston": "~0.7.3"
   },
   "optionalDependencies": {
     "leveldown": "~0.10.0"