diff --git a/log_debug.go b/log_debug.go
index 084eb19..3fb34c8 100644
--- a/log_debug.go
+++ b/log_debug.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 )
 
-func debugLog(str string, args ...any) {
+func debugLogf(str string, args ...any) {
 	// this is such that we don't modify the actual args that may be used outside of this function
 	printableArgs := make([]any, len(args))
 
diff --git a/log_normal.go b/log_normal.go
index cd6a746..0e3c4af 100644
--- a/log_normal.go
+++ b/log_normal.go
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@
 
 package nostr
 
-func debugLog(str string, args ...any) {
+func debugLogf(str string, args ...any) {
 	return
 }
diff --git a/pool.go b/pool.go
index 156c257..4871371 100644
--- a/pool.go
+++ b/pool.go
@@ -115,8 +115,9 @@ func (pool *SimplePool) SubManyEose(ctx context.Context, urls []string, filters
 				return
 			}
 
-			sub, _ := relay.Subscribe(ctx, filters)
+			sub, err := relay.Subscribe(ctx, filters)
 			if sub == nil {
+				debugLogf("error subscribing to %s with %v: %s", relay, filters, err)
 				return
 			}
 
diff --git a/relay.go b/relay.go
index ba457a8..ac7941f 100644
--- a/relay.go
+++ b/relay.go
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ func (r *Relay) Connect(ctx context.Context) error {
 				break
 			}
 
-			debugLog("{%s} %v\n", r.URL, message)
+			debugLogf("{%s} %v\n", r.URL, message)
 
 			envelope := ParseMessage(message)
 			if envelope == nil {
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ func (r *Relay) Publish(ctx context.Context, event Event) (Status, error) {
 
 	// publish event
 	envb, _ := EventEnvelope{Event: event}.MarshalJSON()
-	debugLog("{%s} sending %v\n", r.URL, envb)
+	debugLogf("{%s} sending %v\n", r.URL, envb)
 	status = PublishStatusSent
 	if err := <-r.Write(envb); err != nil {
 		status = PublishStatusFailed
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ func (r *Relay) Auth(ctx context.Context, event Event) (Status, error) {
 
 	// send AUTH
 	authResponse, _ := AuthEnvelope{Event: event}.MarshalJSON()
-	debugLog("{%s} sending %v\n", r.URL, authResponse)
+	debugLogf("{%s} sending %v\n", r.URL, authResponse)
 	if err := <-r.Write(authResponse); err != nil {
 		// status will be "failed"
 		return status, err
diff --git a/subscription.go b/subscription.go
index f1826b3..49a8008 100644
--- a/subscription.go
+++ b/subscription.go
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func (sub *Subscription) Close() {
 		id := sub.GetID()
 		closeMsg := CloseEnvelope(id)
 		closeb, _ := (&closeMsg).MarshalJSON()
-		debugLog("{%s} sending %v", sub.Relay.URL, closeb)
+		debugLogf("{%s} sending %v", sub.Relay.URL, closeb)
 		<-sub.Relay.Write(closeb)
 	}
 }
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func (sub *Subscription) Fire() error {
 	id := sub.GetID()
 
 	reqb, _ := ReqEnvelope{id, sub.Filters}.MarshalJSON()
-	debugLog("{%s} sending %v", sub.Relay.URL, reqb)
+	debugLogf("{%s} sending %v", sub.Relay.URL, reqb)
 
 	sub.live.Store(true)
 	if err := <-sub.Relay.Write(reqb); err != nil {