diff --git a/backend/hdfs/object.go b/backend/hdfs/object.go
index d6d25297f..0bca37f48 100644
--- a/backend/hdfs/object.go
+++ b/backend/hdfs/object.go
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ func (o *Object) SetModTime(ctx context.Context, modTime time.Time) error {
 	realpath := o.fs.realpath(o.Remote())
 	err := o.fs.client.Chtimes(realpath, modTime, modTime)
 	if err != nil {
+		fs.Errorf(o, "SetModTime: ChTimes(%q, %v, %v) returned error: %v", realpath, modTime, modTime, err)
 		return err
 	}
 	o.modTime = modTime
@@ -113,31 +114,37 @@ func (o *Object) Update(ctx context.Context, in io.Reader, src fs.ObjectInfo, op
 
 	err := o.fs.client.MkdirAll(dirname, 0755)
 	if err != nil {
+		fs.Errorf(o, "update: MkdirAll(%q, 0755) returned error: %v", dirname, err)
 		return err
 	}
 
 	_, err = o.fs.client.Stat(realpath)
 	if err == nil {
+		fs.Errorf(o, "update: Stat(%q) returned error: %v", realpath, err)
 		err = o.fs.client.Remove(realpath)
 		if err != nil {
+			fs.Errorf(o, "update: Remove(%q) returned error: %v", realpath, err)
 			return err
 		}
 	}
 
 	out, err := o.fs.client.Create(realpath)
 	if err != nil {
+		fs.Errorf(o, "update: Create(%q) returned error: %v", realpath, err)
 		return err
 	}
 
 	cleanup := func() {
 		rerr := o.fs.client.Remove(realpath)
 		if rerr != nil {
+			fs.Errorf(o, "update: cleanup: Remove(%q) returned error: %v", realpath, err)
 			fs.Errorf(o.fs, "failed to remove [%v]: %v", realpath, rerr)
 		}
 	}
 
 	_, err = io.Copy(out, in)
 	if err != nil {
+		fs.Errorf(o, "update: io.Copy returned error: %v", err)
 		cleanup()
 		return err
 	}
@@ -160,21 +167,25 @@ func (o *Object) Update(ctx context.Context, in io.Reader, src fs.ObjectInfo, op
 		return errors.Is(err, hdfs.ErrReplicating), err
 	})
 	if err != nil {
+		fs.Errorf(o, "update: Close(%#v) returned error: %v", out, err)
 		cleanup()
 		return err
 	}
 
 	info, err := o.fs.client.Stat(realpath)
 	if err != nil {
+		fs.Errorf(o, "update: Stat#2(%q) returned error: %v", realpath, err)
 		return err
 	}
 
 	err = o.SetModTime(ctx, src.ModTime(ctx))
 	if err != nil {
+		fs.Errorf(o, "update: SetModTime(%v) returned error: %v", src.ModTime(ctx), err)
 		return err
 	}
 	o.size = info.Size()
 
+	fs.Errorf(o, "update: returned no error")
 	return nil
 }