diff --git a/pkg/parser/schedule_time_utils.go b/pkg/parser/schedule_time_utils.go
index 165b3bd64de..c07738e7331 100644
--- a/pkg/parser/schedule_time_utils.go
+++ b/pkg/parser/schedule_time_utils.go
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ func parseTimeToMinutes(hourStr, minuteStr string) int {
 // parseTime converts a time string to minute and hour, with optional UTC offset
 // Supports formats: HH:MM, midnight, noon, 3pm, 1am, HH:MM utc+N, HH:MM utc+HH:MM, HH:MM utc-N, 3pm utc+9
 func parseTime(timeStr string) (minute string, hour string) {
+	scheduleTimeUtilsLog.Printf("Parsing time string: %q", timeStr)
 	// Check for UTC offset
 	parts := strings.Split(timeStr, " ")
 	var utcOffset int
@@ -241,5 +242,9 @@ func mapWeekday(day string) string {
 		"saturday":  "6",
 		"sat":       "6",
 	}
-	return weekdays[day]
+	result := weekdays[day]
+	if result == "" {
+		scheduleTimeUtilsLog.Printf("Unrecognized weekday name: %q", day)
+	}
+	return result
 }
diff --git a/pkg/parser/schema_validation.go b/pkg/parser/schema_validation.go
index 3c12c4dbe5d..a445a6acd4f 100644
--- a/pkg/parser/schema_validation.go
+++ b/pkg/parser/schema_validation.go
@@ -5,8 +5,11 @@ import (
 	"maps"
 
 	"github.com/github/gh-aw/pkg/constants"
+	"github.com/github/gh-aw/pkg/logger"
 )
 
+var schemaValidationLog = logger.New("parser:schema_validation")
+
 // sharedWorkflowForbiddenFields is a map for O(1) lookup of forbidden fields in shared workflows
 var sharedWorkflowForbiddenFields = buildForbiddenFieldsMap()
 
@@ -21,6 +24,7 @@ func buildForbiddenFieldsMap() map[string]bool {
 
 // validateSharedWorkflowFields checks that a shared workflow doesn't contain forbidden fields
 func validateSharedWorkflowFields(frontmatter map[string]any) error {
+	schemaValidationLog.Printf("Checking shared workflow for forbidden fields: %d fields present", len(frontmatter))
 	var forbiddenFound []string
 
 	for key := range frontmatter {
@@ -30,6 +34,7 @@ func validateSharedWorkflowFields(frontmatter map[string]any) error {
 	}
 
 	if len(forbiddenFound) > 0 {
+		schemaValidationLog.Printf("Found %d forbidden field(s) in shared workflow: %v", len(forbiddenFound), forbiddenFound)
 		if len(forbiddenFound) == 1 {
 			return fmt.Errorf("field '%s' cannot be used in shared workflows (only allowed in main workflows with 'on' trigger)", forbiddenFound[0])
 		}
@@ -52,6 +57,7 @@ func validateSharedWorkflowFields(frontmatter map[string]any) error {
 
 // ValidateMainWorkflowFrontmatterWithSchemaAndLocation validates main workflow frontmatter with file location info
 func ValidateMainWorkflowFrontmatterWithSchemaAndLocation(frontmatter map[string]any, filePath string) error {
+	schemaValidationLog.Printf("Validating main workflow frontmatter: file=%s, fields=%d", filePath, len(frontmatter))
 	// Filter out ignored fields before validation
 	filtered := filterIgnoredFields(frontmatter)
 
@@ -73,6 +79,7 @@ func ValidateMainWorkflowFrontmatterWithSchemaAndLocation(frontmatter map[string
 
 // ValidateIncludedFileFrontmatterWithSchemaAndLocation validates included file frontmatter with file location info
 func ValidateIncludedFileFrontmatterWithSchemaAndLocation(frontmatter map[string]any, filePath string) error {
+	schemaValidationLog.Printf("Validating included file frontmatter: file=%s, fields=%d", filePath, len(frontmatter))
 	// Filter out ignored fields before validation
 	filtered := filterIgnoredFields(frontmatter)
 
diff --git a/pkg/parser/yaml_error.go b/pkg/parser/yaml_error.go
index b46ee4a8383..bf05c09e4a4 100644
--- a/pkg/parser/yaml_error.go
+++ b/pkg/parser/yaml_error.go
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ func adjustLineNumbersInFormattedError(formatted string, offset int) string {
 		return formatted
 	}
 
+	yamlErrorLog.Printf("Adjusting YAML error line numbers with offset: +%d", offset)
+
 	// Pattern to match line numbers in the format:
 	// [line:col] at the start
 	// "   1 | content" in the source context
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/copilot_mcp.go b/pkg/workflow/copilot_mcp.go
index b954cd0abce..f75cb53a3bc 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/copilot_mcp.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/copilot_mcp.go
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ func (e *CopilotEngine) renderCopilotMCPConfigWithContext(yaml *strings.Builder,
 	// Determine if localhost URLs should be rewritten to host.docker.internal
 	// This is needed when firewall is enabled (agent is not disabled)
 	rewriteLocalhost := shouldRewriteLocalhostToDocker(workflowData)
+	copilotMCPLog.Printf("Localhost URL rewriting for tool %s: enabled=%t", toolName, rewriteLocalhost)
 
 	// Use the shared renderer with copilot-specific requirements
 	renderer := MCPConfigRenderer{
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/mcp_config_playwright_renderer.go b/pkg/workflow/mcp_config_playwright_renderer.go
index c86818ef084..4b8962cba38 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/mcp_config_playwright_renderer.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/mcp_config_playwright_renderer.go
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ func renderPlaywrightMCPConfig(yaml *strings.Builder, playwrightConfig *Playwrig
 // Per MCP Gateway Specification v1.0.0 section 3.2.1, stdio-based MCP servers MUST be containerized.
 // Uses MCP Gateway spec format: container, entrypointArgs, mounts, and args fields.
 func renderPlaywrightMCPConfigWithOptions(yaml *strings.Builder, playwrightConfig *PlaywrightToolConfig, isLast bool, includeCopilotFields bool, inlineArgs bool) {
+	mcpPlaywrightLog.Printf("Rendering Playwright MCP config options: copilot_fields=%t, inline_args=%t", includeCopilotFields, inlineArgs)
 	customArgs := getPlaywrightCustomArgs(playwrightConfig)
 
 	// Extract all expressions from playwright arguments and replace them with env var references
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ func renderPlaywrightMCPConfigWithOptions(yaml *strings.Builder, playwrightConfi
 
 	// Replace expressions in custom args
 	if len(customArgs) > 0 {
+		mcpPlaywrightLog.Printf("Applying %d custom Playwright args with %d extracted expressions", len(customArgs), len(expressions))
 		customArgs = replaceExpressionsInPlaywrightArgs(customArgs, expressions)
 	}