diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 2daf2dba..afca0656 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -2206,7 +2206,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 
   if (syncing)
     {
-      /* If there a mutex we're the child, else we're the origin.  */
+      /* If there is no mutex we're the base: create one.  Else parse it.  */
       if (!sync_mutex)
         {
           osync_setup ();
@@ -2214,12 +2214,19 @@ main (int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
         }
       else if (!osync_parse_mutex (sync_mutex))
         {
+          /* Parsing failed; continue without output sync.  */
           osync_clear ();
           free (sync_mutex);
           sync_mutex = NULL;
+          syncing = 0;
         }
     }
 
+  if (jobserver_auth)
+    DB (DB_VERBOSE|DB_JOBS, (_("Using jobserver controller %s\n"), jobserver_auth));
+  if (sync_mutex)
+    DB (DB_VERBOSE, (_("Using output-sync mutex %s\n"), sync_mutex));
+
 #ifndef MAKE_SYMLINKS
   if (check_symlink_flag)
     {
diff --git a/src/posixos.c b/src/posixos.c
index c6500efa..a7ef51bf 100644
--- a/src/posixos.c
+++ b/src/posixos.c
@@ -163,8 +163,6 @@ jobserver_setup (int slots, const char *style)
             OSS (fatal, NILF, _("Cannot open jobserver %s: %s"),
                  fifo_name, strerror (errno));
 
-          DB (DB_JOBS, (_("Jobserver setup (fifo %s)\n"), fifo_name));
-
           js_type = js_fifo;
         }
     }
@@ -179,9 +177,6 @@ jobserver_setup (int slots, const char *style)
       if (r < 0)
         pfatal_with_name (_("creating jobs pipe"));
 
-      DB (DB_JOBS, (_("Jobserver setup (fds %d,%d)\n"),
-                    job_fds[0], job_fds[1]));
-
       js_type = js_pipe;
     }
 
@@ -233,8 +228,6 @@ jobserver_parse_auth (const char *auth)
   /* If not, it must be a simple pipe.  */
   else if (sscanf (auth, "%d,%d", &rfd, &wfd) == 2)
     {
-      DB (DB_JOBS, (_("Jobserver client (fds %d,%d)\n"), rfd, wfd));
-
       /* The parent overrode our FDs because we aren't a recursive make.  */
       if (rfd == -2 || wfd == -2)
         return 0;