diff --git a/src/ripple/app/consensus/RCLValidations.cpp b/src/ripple/app/consensus/RCLValidations.cpp
index 5096621f7..b791064a8 100644
--- a/src/ripple/app/consensus/RCLValidations.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/app/consensus/RCLValidations.cpp
@@ -216,6 +216,23 @@ handleNewValidation(
                 app.getLedgerMaster().checkAccept(hash, seq);
             }
         }
+        else
+        {
+            // Partial sync debug: only log untrusted validations during startup
+            // (before we have any validated ledger)
+            auto [lastHash, lastSeq] =
+                app.getLedgerMaster().getLastValidatedLedger();
+            if (lastSeq == 0)
+            {
+                auto jPartialSync = app.journal("PartialSync");
+                auto const quorum = app.validators().quorum();
+                auto const unlSize = app.validators().count();
+                JLOG(jPartialSync.debug())
+                    << "validation NOT trusted: seq=" << seq << " hash=" << hash
+                    << " unlSize=" << unlSize << " quorum=" << quorum
+                    << " (masterKey=" << (masterKey ? "found" : "none") << ")";
+            }
+        }
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/ripple/app/ledger/impl/LedgerMaster.cpp b/src/ripple/app/ledger/impl/LedgerMaster.cpp
index 28a9a759f..a5b7f6ddf 100644
--- a/src/ripple/app/ledger/impl/LedgerMaster.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/app/ledger/impl/LedgerMaster.cpp
@@ -1012,7 +1012,7 @@ LedgerMaster::checkAccept(uint256 const& hash, std::uint32_t seq)
         valCount = validations.size();
         auto const quorum = app_.validators().quorum();
 
-        JLOG(m_journal.warn())
+        JLOG(jPartialSync_.warn())
             << "checkAccept: hash=" << hash << " seq=" << seq
             << " valCount=" << valCount << " quorum=" << quorum
             << " mLastValidLedger.seq=" << mLastValidLedger.second;
@@ -1022,11 +1022,18 @@ LedgerMaster::checkAccept(uint256 const& hash, std::uint32_t seq)
             std::lock_guard ml(m_mutex);
             if (seq > mLastValidLedger.second)
             {
-                JLOG(m_journal.warn())
-                    << "checkAccept: setting mLastValidLedger to seq=" << seq;
+                JLOG(jPartialSync_.warn())
+                    << "checkAccept: QUORUM REACHED - setting mLastValidLedger"
+                    << " seq=" << seq << " hash=" << hash;
                 mLastValidLedger = std::make_pair(hash, seq);
             }
         }
+        else
+        {
+            JLOG(jPartialSync_.debug())
+                << "checkAccept: quorum not reached, need " << quorum
+                << " have " << valCount;
+        }
 
         if (seq == mValidLedgerSeq)
             return;
diff --git a/src/ripple/app/misc/impl/ValidatorList.cpp b/src/ripple/app/misc/impl/ValidatorList.cpp
index d17b85c48..8a9d9b828 100644
--- a/src/ripple/app/misc/impl/ValidatorList.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/app/misc/impl/ValidatorList.cpp
@@ -895,6 +895,16 @@ ValidatorList::applyListsAndBroadcast(
         if (good)
         {
             networkOPs.clearUNLBlocked();
+            // For partial sync: trigger early quorum calculation so
+            // validations can be trusted before consensus starts
+            JLOG(j_.warn()) << "All publisher lists available, triggering "
+                               "early updateTrusted for partial sync";
+            updateTrusted(
+                {},  // empty seenValidators - we just need quorum calculated
+                timeKeeper_.now(),
+                networkOPs,
+                overlay,
+                hashRouter);
         }
     }
     bool broadcast = disposition <= ListDisposition::known_sequence;
diff --git a/src/ripple/app/misc/impl/ValidatorSite.cpp b/src/ripple/app/misc/impl/ValidatorSite.cpp
index 013d7e96f..2a5de5dfe 100644
--- a/src/ripple/app/misc/impl/ValidatorSite.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/app/misc/impl/ValidatorSite.cpp
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ ValidatorSite::load(
 void
 ValidatorSite::start()
 {
+    JLOG(j_.warn()) << "ValidatorSite::start() called";
     std::lock_guard l0{sites_mutex_};
     std::lock_guard l1{state_mutex_};
     if (timer_.expires_at() == clock_type::time_point{})
@@ -218,6 +219,11 @@ ValidatorSite::setTimer(
     if (next != sites_.end())
     {
         pending_ = next->nextRefresh <= clock_type::now();
+        auto delay = std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::milliseconds>(
+            next->nextRefresh - clock_type::now());
+        JLOG(j_.warn()) << "ValidatorSite::setTimer() pending=" << pending_
+                        << " delay=" << delay.count() << "ms"
+                        << " uri=" << next->startingResource->uri;
         cv_.notify_all();
         timer_.expires_at(next->nextRefresh);
         auto idx = std::distance(sites_.begin(), next);
@@ -225,6 +231,10 @@ ValidatorSite::setTimer(
             this->onTimer(idx, ec);
         });
     }
+    else
+    {
+        JLOG(j_.warn()) << "ValidatorSite::setTimer() no sites configured";
+    }
 }
 
 void
@@ -339,6 +349,8 @@ ValidatorSite::onRequestTimeout(std::size_t siteIdx, error_code const& ec)
 void
 ValidatorSite::onTimer(std::size_t siteIdx, error_code const& ec)
 {
+    JLOG(j_.warn()) << "ValidatorSite::onTimer() fired for site " << siteIdx
+                    << " ec=" << ec.message();
     if (ec)
     {
         // Restart the timer if any errors are encountered, unless the error