diff --git a/crates/cli/src/repo/handlers/advance_next.rs b/crates/cli/src/repo/handlers/advance_next.rs
index 1d90fcc..e8f773c 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/repo/handlers/advance_next.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/repo/handlers/advance_next.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //
 use actix::prelude::*;
 
-use tracing::warn;
+use tracing::{warn, Instrument};
 
 use crate::{
     repo::{
@@ -34,11 +34,12 @@ impl Handler<AdvanceNext> for RepoActor {
         let addr = ctx.address();
 
         let (commit, force) = find_next_commit_on_dev(&next, &main, &dev_commit_history);
-        self.update_tui(RepoUpdate::AdvancingNext {
-            commit: commit.clone(),
-            force: force.clone(),
-        });
-
+        if let Some(commit) = &commit {
+            self.update_tui(RepoUpdate::AdvancingNext {
+                commit: commit.clone(),
+                force: force.clone(),
+            });
+        };
         match advance_next(
             commit,
             force,
@@ -49,10 +50,20 @@ impl Handler<AdvanceNext> for RepoActor {
         ) {
             Ok(message_token) => {
                 // pause to allow any CI checks to be started
-                std::thread::sleep(self.sleep_duration);
-                do_send(&addr, ValidateRepo::new(message_token), self.log.as_ref());
+                let sleep_duration = self.sleep_duration;
+                let log = self.log.clone();
+                async move {
+                    std::thread::sleep(sleep_duration);
+                    do_send(&addr, ValidateRepo::new(message_token), log.as_ref());
+                }
+                .in_current_span()
+                .into_actor(self)
+                .wait(ctx);
+            }
+            Err(err) => {
+                warn!("advance next: {err}");
+                self.alert_tui(err.to_string());
             }
-            Err(err) => warn!("advance next: {err}"),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/repo/handlers/receive_ci_status.rs b/crates/cli/src/repo/handlers/receive_ci_status.rs
index 1294f67..6d65299 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/repo/handlers/receive_ci_status.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/repo/handlers/receive_ci_status.rs
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
 use actix::prelude::*;
 
 use git_next_core::git::{forge::commit::Status, graph, UserNotification};
-use tracing::debug;
+use tracing::{debug, Instrument as _};
 
 use crate::{
     repo::{
-        delay_send, do_send, logger,
+        do_send, logger,
         messages::{AdvanceMain, ReceiveCIStatus, ValidateRepo},
         notify_user, RepoActor,
     },
@@ -53,12 +53,16 @@ impl Handler<ReceiveCIStatus> for RepoActor {
                     },
                     log.as_ref(),
                 );
-                delay_send(
-                    &addr,
-                    sleep_duration,
-                    ValidateRepo::new(message_token),
-                    self.log.as_ref(),
-                );
+                async move {
+                    debug!("sleeping before retrying...");
+                    logger(log.as_ref(), "before sleep");
+                    actix_rt::time::sleep(sleep_duration).await;
+                    logger(log.as_ref(), "after sleep");
+                    do_send(&addr, ValidateRepo::new(message_token), log.as_ref());
+                }
+                .in_current_span()
+                .into_actor(self)
+                .wait(ctx);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/repo/handlers/validate_repo.rs b/crates/cli/src/repo/handlers/validate_repo.rs
index a31572d..095c070 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/repo/handlers/validate_repo.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/repo/handlers/validate_repo.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //
 use actix::prelude::*;
 
-use tracing::{debug, instrument, Instrument as _};
+use tracing::{info, instrument, Instrument as _};
 
 use crate::{
     repo::{
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ use crate::{
 };
 
 use git_next_core::git::{
+    push::Force,
     validation::positions::{validate, Error, Positions},
     UserNotification,
 };
@@ -74,11 +75,18 @@ impl Handler<ValidateRepo> for RepoActor {
                 },
                 git_log,
             )) => {
-                debug!(%main, %next, %dev, "positions");
+                info!(%main, %next, %dev, "positions");
                 self.update_tui_log(git_log);
                 if next_is_valid && next != main {
+                    info!("Checking CI");
+                    self.update_tui(RepoUpdate::CheckingCI);
                     do_send(&ctx.address(), CheckCIStatus::new(next), self.log.as_ref());
                 } else if next != dev {
+                    info!("Advance next");
+                    self.update_tui(RepoUpdate::AdvancingNext {
+                        commit: next.clone(),
+                        force: Force::No,
+                    });
                     do_send(
                         &ctx.address(),
                         AdvanceNext::new(AdvanceNextPayload {
@@ -89,10 +97,12 @@ impl Handler<ValidateRepo> for RepoActor {
                         self.log.as_ref(),
                     );
                 } else {
+                    info!("do nothing");
                     self.update_tui(RepoUpdate::Okay { main, next, dev });
                 }
             }
             Err(Error::Retryable(message)) => {
+                info!(?message, "Retryable");
                 self.alert_tui(format!("[retryable: {message}]"));
                 logger(self.log.as_ref(), message);
                 let addr = ctx.address();
@@ -100,7 +110,7 @@ impl Handler<ValidateRepo> for RepoActor {
                 let sleep_duration = self.sleep_duration;
                 let log = self.log.clone();
                 async move {
-                    debug!("sleeping before retrying...");
+                    info!("sleeping before retrying...");
                     logger(log.as_ref(), "before sleep");
                     actix_rt::time::sleep(sleep_duration).await;
                     logger(log.as_ref(), "after sleep");
@@ -111,6 +121,7 @@ impl Handler<ValidateRepo> for RepoActor {
                 .wait(ctx);
             }
             Err(Error::UserIntervention(user_notification)) => {
+                info!(?user_notification, "User Intervention");
                 self.alert_tui(format!("[USER INTERVENTION: {user_notification}]"));
                 if let UserNotification::CICheckFailed { log, .. }
                 | UserNotification::DevNotBasedOnMain { log, .. } = &user_notification
@@ -124,6 +135,7 @@ impl Handler<ValidateRepo> for RepoActor {
                 );
             }
             Err(Error::NonRetryable(message)) => {
+                info!(?message, "NonRetryable");
                 self.alert_tui(format!("[Error: {message}]"));
                 logger(self.log.as_ref(), message);
             }
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/repo/mod.rs b/crates/cli/src/repo/mod.rs
index 32105a6..391ba1a 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/repo/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/repo/mod.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ use crate::{
 };
 use derive_more::Deref;
 use kxio::network::Network;
-use std::time::Duration;
 use tracing::{info, instrument, warn, Instrument};
 
 use git_next_core::{
@@ -172,19 +171,6 @@ impl Actor for RepoActor {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn delay_send<M>(addr: &Addr<RepoActor>, delay: Duration, msg: M, log: Option<&ActorLog>)
-where
-    M: actix::Message + Send + 'static + std::fmt::Debug,
-    RepoActor: actix::Handler<M>,
-    <M as actix::Message>::Result: Send,
-{
-    let log_message = format!("send-after-delay: {msg:?}");
-    tracing::debug!(log_message);
-    logger(log, log_message);
-    std::thread::sleep(delay);
-    do_send(addr, msg, log);
-}
-
 pub fn do_send<M>(addr: &Addr<RepoActor>, msg: M, log: Option<&ActorLog>)
 where
     M: actix::Message + Send + 'static + std::fmt::Debug,
@@ -192,7 +178,7 @@ where
     <M as actix::Message>::Result: Send,
 {
     let log_message = format!("send: {msg:?}");
-    tracing::debug!(log_message);
+    info!(log_message);
     logger(log, log_message);
     if cfg!(not(test)) {
         // #[cfg(not(test))]
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/repo/tests/handlers/advance_next.rs b/crates/cli/src/repo/tests/handlers/advance_next.rs
index f5168e3..44ae8f6 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/repo/tests/handlers/advance_next.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/repo/tests/handlers/advance_next.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
+use std::time::Duration;
+
 use crate::repo::messages::AdvanceNextPayload;
 
 //
 use super::*;
 
-#[actix::test]
+#[test_log::test(actix::test)]
 async fn should_fetch_then_push_then_revalidate() -> TestResult {
     //given
     let fs = given::a_filesystem();
@@ -41,14 +43,11 @@ async fn should_fetch_then_push_then_revalidate() -> TestResult {
         },
     ))
     .await?;
+    actix_rt::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(1)).await;
     System::current().stop();
 
     //then
     tracing::debug!(?log, "");
-    log.read().map_err(|e| e.to_string()).map(|l| {
-        assert!(l
-            .iter()
-            .any(|message| message.contains("send: ValidateRepo")));
-    })?;
+    log.require_message_containing("send: ValidateRepo")?;
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/repo/tests/handlers/receive_ci_status.rs b/crates/cli/src/repo/tests/handlers/receive_ci_status.rs
index d564349..79a9439 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/repo/tests/handlers/receive_ci_status.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/repo/tests/handlers/receive_ci_status.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use std::time::Duration;
+
 //
 use super::*;
 
@@ -79,7 +81,7 @@ async fn when_fail_should_recheck_after_delay() -> TestResult {
         git::forge::commit::Status::Fail,
     )))
     .await?;
-    actix_rt::time::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(2)).await;
+    actix_rt::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(20)).await;
     System::current().stop();
 
     //then
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/server/actor/messages.rs b/crates/cli/src/server/actor/messages.rs
index 552897d..ed5503c 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/server/actor/messages.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/server/actor/messages.rs
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ pub enum RepoUpdate {
     },
     CheckingCI,
     AdvancingNext {
-        commit: Option<git::Commit>,
+        commit: git::Commit,
         force: git::push::Force,
     },
     AdvancingMain {
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/tui/actor/handlers/server_update.rs b/crates/cli/src/tui/actor/handlers/server_update.rs
index ec43830..1ff9c5a 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/tui/actor/handlers/server_update.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/tui/actor/handlers/server_update.rs
@@ -47,10 +47,9 @@ impl Handler<ServerUpdate> for Tui {
                         RepoUpdate::CheckingCI => {
                             repo_state.update_message("Checking CI status");
                         }
-                        RepoUpdate::AdvancingNext {
-                            commit: _,
-                            force: _,
-                        } => (),
+                        RepoUpdate::AdvancingNext { commit, force: _ } => {
+                            repo_state.update_message(format!("advancing next to {commit}"));
+                        }
                         RepoUpdate::AdvancingMain { commit } => {
                             repo_state.update_message(format!("advancing main to {commit}"));
                         }
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/tui/actor/model.rs b/crates/cli/src/tui/actor/model.rs
index 0d77fd5..b64e740 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/tui/actor/model.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/tui/actor/model.rs
@@ -233,12 +233,12 @@ impl RepoState {
 
     #[tracing::instrument]
     pub fn update_message(&mut self, msg: impl Into<String> + std::fmt::Debug) {
-        tracing::info!("new tui message");
         let msg: String = msg.into();
         match self {
             Self::Identified { message, .. }
             | Self::Configured { message, .. }
             | Self::Ready { message, .. } => {
+                info!(?msg, "updating ui");
                 *message = msg;
             }
         }