diff --git a/panelctl.sh b/panelctl.sh
index 4619baf..4732113 100644
--- a/panelctl.sh
+++ b/panelctl.sh
@@ -299,10 +299,18 @@ cmd_deploy() {
   validate_name "${name}"
   load_app "${name}"
 
+  echo "Starting deployment for app '${name}'" | systemd-cat -t panelctl -p info
+
   cmd_render_route "${name}"
-  run_compose -f "${APP_COMPOSE_FILE}" up -d || fail "compose up failed"
+  
+  if ! run_compose -f "${APP_COMPOSE_FILE}" up -d 2>&1 | systemd-cat -t panelctl -p info; then
+    echo "Deployment failed for app '${name}'" | systemd-cat -t panelctl -p err
+    fail "compose up failed"
+  fi
+  
   maybe_reload_caddy
 
+  echo "Successfully deployed app '${name}'" | systemd-cat -t panelctl -p info
   echo "deployed app '${name}'"
 }