diff --git a/zebra-state/src/service.rs b/zebra-state/src/service.rs
index 0b3d1351..e6fe6c69 100644
--- a/zebra-state/src/service.rs
+++ b/zebra-state/src/service.rs
@@ -83,11 +83,12 @@ impl StateService {
     /// in RFC0005.
     ///
     /// [1]: https://zebra.zfnd.org/dev/rfcs/0005-state-updates.html#committing-non-finalized-blocks
-    #[instrument(skip(self, prepared))]
+    #[instrument(level = "debug", skip(self, prepared))]
     fn queue_and_commit_non_finalized(
         &mut self,
         prepared: PreparedBlock,
     ) -> oneshot::Receiver<Result<block::Hash, BoxError>> {
+        tracing::debug!(block = %prepared.block, "queueing block for contextual verification");
         let parent_hash = prepared.block.header.previous_block_hash;
 
         if self.mem.any_chain_contains(&prepared.hash) || self.disk.hash(prepared.height).is_some()
diff --git a/zebra-state/src/service/non_finalized_state/chain.rs b/zebra-state/src/service/non_finalized_state/chain.rs
index bb4e2bb3..583f4320 100644
--- a/zebra-state/src/service/non_finalized_state/chain.rs
+++ b/zebra-state/src/service/non_finalized_state/chain.rs
@@ -29,16 +29,16 @@ pub struct Chain {
 
 impl Chain {
     /// Push a contextually valid non-finalized block into a chain as the new tip.
-    #[instrument(skip(self, block), fields(block = %block.block))]
+    #[instrument(level = "debug", skip(self, block), fields(block = %block.block))]
     pub fn push(&mut self, block: PreparedBlock) {
         // update cumulative data members
         self.update_chain_state_with(&block);
+        tracing::info!(block = %block.block, "adding block to chain");
         self.blocks.insert(block.height, block);
-        trace!("pushed block onto chain");
     }
 
     /// Remove the lowest height block of the non-finalized portion of a chain.
-    #[instrument(skip(self))]
+    #[instrument(level = "debug", skip(self))]
     pub fn pop_root(&mut self) -> PreparedBlock {
         let block_height = self.lowest_height();
 
diff --git a/zebrad/src/components/sync/downloads.rs b/zebrad/src/components/sync/downloads.rs
index b3ae4169..ca59abd7 100644
--- a/zebrad/src/components/sync/downloads.rs
+++ b/zebrad/src/components/sync/downloads.rs
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ where
     /// This method waits for the network to become ready, and returns an error
     /// only if the network service fails. It returns immediately after queuing
     /// the request.
-    #[instrument(skip(self), fields(%hash))]
+    #[instrument(level = "debug", skip(self), fields(%hash))]
     pub async fn download_and_verify(&mut self, hash: block::Hash) -> Result<(), Report> {
         if self.cancel_handles.contains_key(&hash) {
             return Err(eyre!("duplicate hash queued for download"));