diff --git a/ethcore/src/client/client.rs b/ethcore/src/client/client.rs
index d399b1cf1..90ec8693f 100644
--- a/ethcore/src/client/client.rs
+++ b/ethcore/src/client/client.rs
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ impl Client<CanonVerifier> {
 	}
 }
 
+/// Get the path for the databases given the root path and information on the databases.
 pub fn get_db_path(path: &Path, pruning: journaldb::Algorithm, genesis_hash: H256) -> PathBuf {
 	let mut dir = path.to_path_buf();
 	dir.push(H64::from(genesis_hash).hex());
@@ -136,6 +137,7 @@ pub fn get_db_path(path: &Path, pruning: journaldb::Algorithm, genesis_hash: H25
 	dir
 }
 
+/// Append a path element to the given path and return the string.
 pub fn append_path(path: &Path, item: &str) -> String {
 	let mut p = path.to_path_buf();
 	p.push(item);
diff --git a/parity/main.rs b/parity/main.rs
index c2673cc8a..8c4a9ddf0 100644
--- a/parity/main.rs
+++ b/parity/main.rs
@@ -550,6 +550,7 @@ impl Configuration {
 		let jdb_types = [journaldb::Algorithm::Archive, journaldb::Algorithm::EarlyMerge, journaldb::Algorithm::OverlayRecent, journaldb::Algorithm::RefCounted];
 		for i in jdb_types.into_iter() {
 			let db = journaldb::new(&append_path(&get_db_path(&Path::new(&self.path()), *i, spec.genesis_header().hash()), "state"), *i);
+			trace!(target: "parity", "Looking for best DB: {} at {:?}", i, db.latest_era());
 			match (latest_era, db.latest_era()) {
 				(Some(best), Some(this)) if best >= this => {}
 				(_, None) => {}
@@ -582,7 +583,7 @@ impl Configuration {
 			"auto" => self.find_best_db(spec).unwrap_or(journaldb::Algorithm::OverlayRecent),
 			_ => { die!("Invalid pruning method given."); }
 		};
-		info!("Using state DB of {}", client_config.pruning);
+		trace!(target: "parity", "Using pruning strategy of {}", client_config.pruning);
 		client_config.name = self.args.flag_identity.clone();
 		client_config.queue.max_mem_use = self.args.flag_queue_max_size;
 		client_config