diff --git a/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon b/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon
index ee7999f5..6e953c78 100755
--- a/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon
+++ b/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ Daemon::Control->new({
 
 sub restarter {
   my ($daemon, @program_args) = @_;
+  $0 = 'netdisco-daemon';
 
   my $child = fork_and_start($daemon, @program_args);
   exit(1) unless $child;
diff --git a/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon-fg b/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon-fg
index 0d1073d6..86dea474 100755
--- a/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon-fg
+++ b/Netdisco/bin/netdisco-daemon-fg
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ use NetAddr::IP::Lite ':lower';
 use List::Util 'sum';
 use Role::Tiny::With;
 use MCE::Signal '-setpgrp';
-setpgrp(0,0); # only portable variety of setpgrp
 use MCE;
 
 # set temporary MCE files' location in home directory
@@ -37,6 +36,9 @@ my $home = ($ENV{NETDISCO_HOME} || $ENV{HOME});
 my $tmp_dir = ($ENV{NETDISCO_TEMP} || dir($home, 'tmp'));
 mkdir $tmp_dir if ! -d $tmp_dir;
 
+setpgrp(0,0); # only portable variety of setpgrp
+$0 = 'netdisco-daemon: master';
+
 my $mce = MCE->new(
   spawn_delay => 0.15,
   job_delay   => 1.15,
@@ -92,6 +94,7 @@ sub worker_factory {
   return sub {
     my $self = shift;
     my $wid = $self->wid;
+    $0 = sprintf 'netdisco-daemon: worker #%s %s: init', $wid, lc($role);
     info "applying role $role to worker $wid";
 
     # $self->sendto('stderr', ">>> worker $wid starting with role $role\n");
diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Manager.pm b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Manager.pm
index 2bf17bad..8c5b0799 100644
--- a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Manager.pm
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Daemon/Worker/Manager.pm
@@ -11,11 +11,12 @@ use App::Netdisco::JobQueue qw/jq_locked jq_getsome jq_lock/;
 sub worker_begin {
   my $self = shift;
   my $wid = $self->wid;
-  debug "entering Manager ($wid) worker_begin()";
 
-  if (setting('workers')->{'no_manager'}) {
-      return debug "mgr ($wid): no need for manager... skip begin";
-  }
+  return debug "mgr ($wid): no need for manager... skip begin"
+    if setting('workers')->{'no_manager'};
+
+  $0 = sprintf 'netdisco-daemon: worker #%s manager: begin', $wid;
+  debug "entering Manager ($wid) worker_begin()";
 
   # requeue jobs locally
   debug "mgr ($wid): searching for jobs booked to this processing node";
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ sub worker_body {
   return debug "mgr ($wid): no need for manager... quitting"
     if setting('workers')->{'no_manager'};
 
+  $0 = sprintf 'netdisco-daemon: worker #%s manager: body', $wid;
   my $num_slots = sum( 0, map { setting('workers')->{$_} }
                               values %{setting('job_type_keys')} );
 
@@ -47,6 +49,8 @@ sub worker_body {
           # check for available local capacity
           my $job_type = setting('job_types')->{$job->action};
           next unless $job_type and $self->do('capacity_for', $job_type);
+
+          $0 = sprintf 'netdisco-daemon: worker #%s manager: booking %s', $wid, $job->id;
           debug sprintf "mgr (%s): processing node has capacity for job %s (%s)",
             $wid, $job->id, $job->action;
 
@@ -60,6 +64,7 @@ sub worker_body {
       }
 
       debug "mgr ($wid): sleeping now...";
+      $0 = sprintf 'netdisco-daemon: worker #%s manager: idle', $wid;
       sleep( setting('workers')->{sleep_time} || 2 );
   }
 }