diff --git a/src/tests/native-screen-cast.c b/src/tests/native-screen-cast.c
index bcde15665..1db09ce44 100644
--- a/src/tests/native-screen-cast.c
+++ b/src/tests/native-screen-cast.c
@@ -50,8 +50,7 @@ meta_test_screen_cast_record_virtual (void)
   GSubprocess *subprocess;
   GMainLoop *loop;
 
-  launcher =  g_subprocess_launcher_new ((G_SUBPROCESS_FLAGS_STDIN_PIPE |
-                                          G_SUBPROCESS_FLAGS_STDOUT_PIPE));
+  launcher =  g_subprocess_launcher_new (G_SUBPROCESS_FLAGS_NONE);
 
   test_client_path = g_test_build_filename (G_TEST_BUILT,
                                             "src",
@@ -61,6 +60,9 @@ meta_test_screen_cast_record_virtual (void)
   g_subprocess_launcher_setenv (launcher,
                                 "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR", getenv ("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR"),
                                 TRUE);
+  g_subprocess_launcher_setenv (launcher,
+                                "G_MESSAGES_DEBUG", "all",
+                                TRUE);
   subprocess = g_subprocess_launcher_spawn (launcher,
                                             &error,
                                             test_client_path,
diff --git a/src/tests/screen-cast-client.c b/src/tests/screen-cast-client.c
index afd6f17b0..d7ed3f99b 100644
--- a/src/tests/screen-cast-client.c
+++ b/src/tests/screen-cast-client.c
@@ -214,6 +214,10 @@ on_stream_state_changed (void                 *user_data,
 {
   Stream *stream = user_data;
 
+  g_debug ("New PipeWire stream (%u) state '%s'",
+           stream->pipewire_node_id,
+           pw_stream_state_as_string (state));
+
   switch (state)
     {
     case PW_STREAM_STATE_ERROR:
@@ -342,13 +346,19 @@ on_stream_process (void *user_data)
   struct pw_buffer *buffer = NULL;
 
   next_buffer = pw_stream_dequeue_buffer (stream->pipewire_stream);
+  if (next_buffer)
+    g_debug ("Dequeued buffer, queue previous");
   while (next_buffer)
     {
+
       buffer = next_buffer;
       next_buffer = pw_stream_dequeue_buffer (stream->pipewire_stream);
 
       if (next_buffer)
-        pw_stream_queue_buffer (stream->pipewire_stream, buffer);
+        {
+          g_debug ("Dequeued another buffer, queuing previous");
+          pw_stream_queue_buffer (stream->pipewire_stream, buffer);
+        }
     }
   if (!buffer)
     return;
@@ -740,31 +750,37 @@ main (int    argc,
   Session *session;
   Stream *stream;
 
+  g_debug ("Initializing PipeWire");
   init_pipewire ();
 
+  g_debug ("Creating screen cast session");
   remote_desktop = remote_desktop_new ();
   screen_cast = screen_cast_new ();
   session = screen_cast_create_session (remote_desktop, screen_cast);
   stream = session_record_virtual (session, 50, 40);
 
+  g_debug ("Starting screen cast stream");
   session_start (session);
 
   /* Check that the display server handles events being emitted too early. */
   session_notify_absolute_pointer (session, stream, 2, 3);
 
   /* Check that we receive the initial frame */
-
+  g_debug ("Waiting for stream to be established");
   stream_wait_for_node (stream);
   stream_wait_for_render (stream);
   stream_wait_for_streaming (stream);
   session_notify_absolute_pointer (session, stream, 6, 5);
   session_notify_absolute_pointer (session, stream, 5, 6);
+
+  g_debug ("Waiting for frame");
   stream_wait_for_render (stream);
   stream_wait_for_cursor_position (stream, 5, 6);
   g_assert_cmpint (stream->spa_format.size.width, ==, 50);
   g_assert_cmpint (stream->spa_format.size.height, ==, 40);
 
   /* Check that resizing works */
+  g_debug ("Resizing stream");
   stream_resize (stream, 70, 60);
   while (TRUE)
     {
@@ -781,6 +797,7 @@ main (int    argc,
   /* Check that resizing works */
   stream_resize (stream, 60, 60);
 
+  g_debug ("Stopping session");
   session_stop (session);
 
   stream_free (stream);
@@ -790,5 +807,7 @@ main (int    argc,
 
   release_pipewire ();
 
+  g_debug ("Done");
+
   return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }