diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 1c7c644..cdbaf32 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -2,9 +2,13 @@ from flask import Flask, jsonify, send_from_directory
 import mysql.connector
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 import os
+import sys
 
 app = Flask(__name__, static_folder='public')
 
+# Enable debug mode via environment variable
+DEBUG_MODE = os.environ.get('DEBUG', 'false').lower() == 'true'
+
 # Database configuration
 DB_CONFIG = {
     'host': os.environ.get('DB_HOST', 'localhost'),
@@ -14,9 +18,26 @@ DB_CONFIG = {
     'database': os.environ.get('DB_NAME', 'shopdb')
 }
 
+def debug_log(message):
+    """Print debug messages to console/PM2 logs"""
+    print(f"[DEBUG] {message}", file=sys.stderr, flush=True)
+
 # Get database connection
 def get_db_connection():
-    return mysql.connector.connect(**DB_CONFIG)
+    if DEBUG_MODE:
+        debug_log(f"Attempting database connection to {DB_CONFIG['host']}:{DB_CONFIG['port']}")
+        debug_log(f"Database: {DB_CONFIG['database']}, User: {DB_CONFIG['user']}")
+
+    try:
+        conn = mysql.connector.connect(**DB_CONFIG)
+        if DEBUG_MODE:
+            debug_log(f"Database connection successful! MySQL version: {conn.get_server_info()}")
+        return conn
+    except mysql.connector.Error as err:
+        debug_log(f"Database connection FAILED: {err}")
+        debug_log(f"Error code: {err.errno}")
+        debug_log(f"SQL state: {err.sqlstate if hasattr(err, 'sqlstate') else 'N/A'}")
+        raise
 
 # Serve static files (index.html, logo, etc)
 @app.route('/')
@@ -31,13 +52,24 @@ def static_files(path):
 @app.route('/api/notifications')
 def get_notifications():
     try:
+        if DEBUG_MODE:
+            debug_log("=== API /api/notifications called ===")
+
         now = datetime.now()
         future = now + timedelta(hours=72)  # 72 hours from now
 
+        if DEBUG_MODE:
+            debug_log(f"Time window: {now} to {future}")
+
         # Connect to database
+        if DEBUG_MODE:
+            debug_log("Connecting to database...")
         conn = get_db_connection()
         cursor = conn.cursor(dictionary=True)
 
+        if DEBUG_MODE:
+            debug_log("Database cursor created")
+
         # Query with isshopfloor filter and 72-hour window
         query = """
             SELECT n.notificationid, n.notification, n.starttime, n.endtime, n.ticketnumber, n.link,
@@ -53,13 +85,26 @@ def get_notifications():
             ORDER BY n.starttime ASC
         """
 
+        if DEBUG_MODE:
+            debug_log("Executing query...")
+
         cursor.execute(query, (future, now, now, future))
+
+        if DEBUG_MODE:
+            debug_log("Query executed, fetching results...")
+
         rows = cursor.fetchall()
 
+        if DEBUG_MODE:
+            debug_log(f"Fetched {len(rows)} rows from database")
+
         cursor.close()
         conn.close()
 
         # Convert bit fields to boolean and datetime to ISO strings
+        if DEBUG_MODE:
+            debug_log("Converting data types...")
+
         for row in rows:
             row['isactive'] = bool(row['isactive'])
             row['isshopfloor'] = bool(row['isshopfloor'])
@@ -68,6 +113,9 @@ def get_notifications():
             if row['endtime']:
                 row['endtime'] = row['endtime'].isoformat()
 
+        if DEBUG_MODE:
+            debug_log("Data conversion complete")
+
         # Categorize notifications
         current_events = []
         upcoming_events = []
@@ -81,6 +129,9 @@ def get_notifications():
             else:
                 upcoming_events.append(notification)
 
+        if DEBUG_MODE:
+            debug_log(f"Categorized: {len(current_events)} current, {len(upcoming_events)} upcoming")
+
         # Sort current events by severity priority, then by starttime
         # Priority: Incident (danger) > Change (warning) > Awareness/TBD (success)
         severity_priority = {
@@ -139,4 +190,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     port = int(os.environ.get('PORT', 3001))
     print(f'Shopfloor Dashboard running on port {port}')
     print(f'Access at: http://localhost:{port}')
+    print(f'DEBUG MODE: {"ENABLED" if DEBUG_MODE else "DISABLED"}')
+    print(f'Database: {DB_CONFIG["host"]}:{DB_CONFIG["port"]}/{DB_CONFIG["database"]}')
+    print(f'To enable debug logging: set DEBUG=true environment variable')
     app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=port, debug=False)