diff --git a/mepa/microchip/lan80xx/src/lan80xx_private.c b/mepa/microchip/lan80xx/src/lan80xx_private.c
index 01b904ce8..257622247 100644
--- a/mepa/microchip/lan80xx/src/lan80xx_private.c
+++ b/mepa/microchip/lan80xx/src/lan80xx_private.c
@@ -3919,7 +3919,11 @@ mepa_rc lan80xx_rx_eye_scan_conf_set_priv (const mepa_device_t          *dev,
             cnt++;
         }
         if (!(value & LAN80XX_M_LINE_PMA_8BIT_LANE_DD_LN_ISCAN_DONE)) {
-            T_E(MEPA_TRACE_GRP_GEN, "Timed out after %d ms - bailing out", cnt);
+            T_E(MEPA_TRACE_GRP_GEN,
+                "port %u %s fast ISCAN_DONE poll timed out after %d ms "
+                "(PMA_8BIT_LANE_DD=0x%x) - bailing out (no signal/clock on "
+                "the scanned lane?)",
+                port_no, is_line ? "LINE" : "HOST", cnt, value);
             MEPA_RC(lan80xx_rx_eye_scan_disable(dev, port_no, is_line));
             return MEPA_RC_ERROR;
         }
@@ -3946,7 +3950,11 @@ mepa_rc lan80xx_rx_eye_scan_conf_set_priv (const mepa_device_t          *dev,
             cnt++;
         }
         if (!(value & LAN80XX_M_LINE_PMA_8BIT_LANE_DD_LN_ISCAN_DONE)) {
-            T_E(MEPA_TRACE_GRP_GEN, "Timed out after %d ms - bailing out", cnt);
+            T_E(MEPA_TRACE_GRP_GEN,
+                "port %u %s normal ISCAN_DONE poll timed out after %d ms "
+                "(PMA_8BIT_LANE_DD=0x%x) - bailing out (no signal/clock on "
+                "the scanned lane?)",
+                port_no, is_line ? "LINE" : "HOST", cnt, value);
             MEPA_RC(lan80xx_rx_eye_scan_disable(dev, port_no, is_line));
             return MEPA_RC_ERROR;
         }
diff --git a/mesa/demo/mepa_apps/phy25g_diagnostics.c b/mesa/demo/mepa_apps/phy25g_diagnostics.c
index 77679a3c8..6e83cd947 100644
--- a/mesa/demo/mepa_apps/phy25g_diagnostics.c
+++ b/mesa/demo/mepa_apps/phy25g_diagnostics.c
@@ -495,12 +495,18 @@ static void cli_cmd_eye_diag(cli_req_t *req)
                                            req->port_no, mreq->is_line, mreq->scan)) !=
         MEPA_RC_OK) {
         T_E("\n Error in Configuring Eye Diagram on port : %d \n", (req->port_no + 1));
+        cli_printf("Error: eye-scan conf failed on port %u (%s side, rc %d): "
+                   "no signal/clock on the scanned lane? See trace log.\n",
+                   (req->port_no + 1), mreq->is_line ? "line" : "host", rc);
         return;
     }
     if ((rc = lan80xx_rx_eye_scan_status_get(meba_phy_diag_instance->phy_devices[req->port_no],
                                              req->port_no, mreq->scan, &status)) != MEPA_RC_OK) {
         T_E("\n Error in Getting the Eye Height and Eye Diagram on port : %d \n",
             (req->port_no + 1));
+        cli_printf("Error: eye-scan status read failed on port %u (%s side, rc %d)"
+                   " -- see trace log.\n",
+                   (req->port_no + 1), mreq->is_line ? "line" : "host", rc);
         return;
     }
     if ((rc = lan80xx_phy_tx_rx_equalization_status_get(meba_phy_diag_instance
diff --git a/mesa/demo/mepa_apps/phy_port_config.c b/mesa/demo/mepa_apps/phy_port_config.c
index 2071862b0..7b8c01a81 100644
--- a/mesa/demo/mepa_apps/phy_port_config.c
+++ b/mesa/demo/mepa_apps/phy_port_config.c
@@ -76,6 +76,10 @@ static int mepa_drv_create(const mepa_port_no_t port_no)
 
     if (meba_phy_inst->phy_devices[port_no]) {
         T_E("Device Already existing on %d", port_no);
+        cli_printf("Error: device already exists on port %u (created at board init).\n"
+                   "Run 'PHY Dev Del %u' first so Create re-probes and "
+                   "runs the PRE/DEFAULT/POST reset sequence.\n",
+                   iport2uport(port_no), iport2uport(port_no));
         return MESA_RC_ERROR;
     }
 
@@ -164,6 +168,7 @@ static void cli_cmd_dev_attach(cli_req_t *req)
 {
     mesa_port_conf_t conf;
     port_cli_req_t  *mreq = req->module_req;
+    mesa_rc          rc;
     mepa_device_t   *dev;
     dev = meba_phy_inst->phy_devices[req->port_no];
     if (mesa_port_conf_get(NULL, req->port_no, &conf) != MESA_RC_OK) {
@@ -173,14 +178,14 @@ static void cli_cmd_dev_attach(cli_req_t *req)
         req->rc = 0;
     }
     conf.if_type = mreq->interface;
-    if (mesa_port_conf_set(NULL, req->port_no, &conf) != MESA_RC_OK) {
+    if ((rc = mesa_port_conf_set(NULL, req->port_no, &conf)) != MESA_RC_OK) {
         req->rc = -1;
-        T_E("mesa_port_conf_set(%u) failed %d\n", req->port_no);
+        T_E("mesa_port_conf_set(%u) failed %d\n", req->port_no, rc);
     } else {
         req->rc = 0;
     }
-    if (mepa_if_set(dev, mreq->interface) != MESA_RC_OK) {
-        T_E("mepa_if_set(%u) failed %d\n", req->port_no);
+    if ((rc = mepa_if_set(dev, mreq->interface)) != MESA_RC_OK) {
+        T_E("mepa_if_set(%u) failed %d\n", req->port_no, rc);
     } else {
         req->rc = 0;
     }
@@ -203,6 +208,7 @@ static void cli_cmd_phy_conf(cli_req_t *req)
     struct json_object *jobj;
     json_rpc_req_t      json_req = {};
     json_req.ptr = json_req.buf;
+    mepa_rc        rc;
     mepa_device_t *dev;
     int            size;
     char           port_config_file[100];
@@ -240,10 +246,18 @@ static void cli_cmd_phy_conf(cli_req_t *req)
             }
             if (json_rpc_get_mepa_conf_t(&json_req, json_req.params, &conf) != MESA_RC_OK) {
                 T_E("Error in the json configuration");
+                /* json_req.buf carries the parser's precise complaint */
+                cli_printf("json parse error: %s\n", json_req.buf);
                 goto file_close;
             }
-            if (mepa_conf_set(dev, &conf) != MESA_RC_OK) {
+            if ((rc = mepa_conf_set(dev, &conf)) != MESA_RC_OK) {
                 T_E("Error in Configuring the PHY");
+                cli_printf("Error: mepa_conf_set failed on port %u (rc %d): "
+                           "port is NOT configured; see the mesa-demo trace "
+                           "log for the driver reason\n",
+                           iport2uport(req->port_no), rc);
+            } else {
+                cli_printf("conf applied on port %u\n", iport2uport(req->port_no));
             }
         file_close:
             free(buffer);