diff --git a/scripts/restore_and_bonus.py b/scripts/restore_and_bonus.py
index 9abe3ee..583cb31 100755
--- a/scripts/restore_and_bonus.py
+++ b/scripts/restore_and_bonus.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import argparse
 from datetime import datetime
 import json
+import logging
 from pathlib import Path
 import sys
 
@@ -37,6 +38,12 @@ EXTRA_BENEFITS_FILE = REPO_ROOT / "screen_locker" / "extra_benefits_state.json"
 
 DEFAULT_BONUS_HOURS = 2
 
+# Failures go to the log (stderr) as well as stdout: this script runs as one
+# step of finish_2026_08_24.sh, where a bare stdout line scrolls past in a wall
+# of other output, and it mutates benefit state — the exact case where a quiet
+# failure looks like success.
+_logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 def _report(message: str) -> None:
     """Write one line to stdout (matches the other scripts in this directory)."""
@@ -57,6 +64,7 @@ def _load(path: Path) -> dict:
     try:
         return json.loads(path.read_text())
     except (OSError, json.JSONDecodeError) as exc:
+        _logger.warning("Could not read %s: %s — treating as empty", path, exc)
         _report(f"WARN: could not read {path}: {exc} — treating as empty")
         return {}
 
@@ -119,6 +127,10 @@ def main() -> int:
     try:
         Path(args.benefits_file).write_text(json.dumps(benefits, indent=2) + "\n")
     except OSError as exc:
+        _logger.exception(
+            "Could not write %s — the bonus was NOT banked",
+            args.benefits_file,
+        )
         _report(f"FAIL: could not write {args.benefits_file}: {exc}")
         return 1
 
diff --git a/scripts/revoke_sick_day.py b/scripts/revoke_sick_day.py
index acb170d..1dcb0ac 100755
--- a/scripts/revoke_sick_day.py
+++ b/scripts/revoke_sick_day.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import argparse
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
 import json
+import logging
 from pathlib import Path
 import sys
 
@@ -31,6 +32,11 @@ REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
 SICK_HISTORY_FILE = REPO_ROOT / "screen_locker" / "sick_history.json"
 LOG_FILE = REPO_ROOT / "screen_locker" / "log.json"
 
+# Failures are logged as well as printed: this script rewrites sick-day
+# history, so a read/write error that only reaches stdout can leave the
+# revocation half-applied while the surrounding script reports success.
+_logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 def _report(message: str) -> None:
     """Write one line to stdout (matches the other scripts in this directory)."""
@@ -112,6 +118,7 @@ def main() -> int:
     try:
         history = json.loads(history_path.read_text())
     except (OSError, json.JSONDecodeError) as exc:
+        _logger.exception("Could not read %s — no sick day was revoked", history_path)
         _report(f"FAIL: could not read {history_path}: {exc}")
         return 1
 
@@ -119,6 +126,10 @@ def main() -> int:
     try:
         log = json.loads(log_path.read_text()) if log_path.is_file() else {}
     except (OSError, json.JSONDecodeError) as exc:
+        _logger.exception(
+            "Could not read %s — cannot cite a workout id, so nothing was revoked",
+            log_path,
+        )
         _report(f"FAIL: could not read {log_path}: {exc}")
         return 1
 
@@ -133,6 +144,10 @@ def main() -> int:
     try:
         history_path.write_text(json.dumps(history, indent=2) + "\n")
     except OSError as exc:
+        _logger.exception(
+            "Could not write %s — the revocation was NOT persisted",
+            history_path,
+        )
         _report(f"FAIL: could not write {history_path}: {exc}")
         return 1
 
diff --git a/scripts/verify_workout_credited.py b/scripts/verify_workout_credited.py
index 0aec9ee..8c2622c 100755
--- a/scripts/verify_workout_credited.py
+++ b/scripts/verify_workout_credited.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import argparse
 import json
+import logging
 from pathlib import Path
 import sys
 
@@ -38,6 +39,12 @@ COUNTED_WORKOUT_TYPES = frozenset(
 )
 
 
+# This script is a gate: it decides whether the rest of the recovery may
+# proceed. A read failure that only reaches stdout can be mistaken for a plain
+# "not credited" verdict, so it is logged loudly as well.
+_logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
 def _report(message: str) -> None:
     """Write one line to stdout (matches the other scripts in this directory)."""
     sys.stdout.write(f"{message}\n")
@@ -58,6 +65,11 @@ def main() -> int:
     try:
         log = json.loads(log_path.read_text())
     except (OSError, json.JSONDecodeError) as exc:
+        _logger.exception(
+            "Could not read %s — cannot tell whether the workout was "
+            "credited, so this gate fails closed",
+            log_path,
+        )
         _report(f"FAIL: could not read {log_path}: {exc}")
         return 1