diff --git a/client/src-tauri/.env b/client/src-tauri/.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..de3130c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src-tauri/.env
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+RUST_LOG=
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/src-tauri/src/main.rs b/client/src-tauri/src/main.rs
index 82fab0f..1d0aca9 100644
--- a/client/src-tauri/src/main.rs
+++ b/client/src-tauri/src/main.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 use tauri::Manager;
 mod telemetry;
+use tracing_subscriber::FmtSubscriber;
 
 #[derive(Clone, serde::Serialize)]
 struct Payload {
@@ -15,6 +16,12 @@ const NTABLE_PORT: u16 = 5810;
 fn main() {
     let rt = tokio::runtime::Runtime::new().expect("Failed to create Tokio runtime");
 
+    // set the environment variable RUST_LOG to debug in order to see debug messages
+    let subscriber = FmtSubscriber::builder()
+        .with_env_filter(tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter::from_default_env())
+        .finish();
+    tracing::subscriber::set_global_default(subscriber).unwrap();
+
     rt.block_on(async {
         tauri::Builder::default()
             .setup(|app| {
diff --git a/client/src-tauri/src/telemetry/check_triggers.rs b/client/src-tauri/src/telemetry/check_triggers.rs
index 128058b..499b116 100644
--- a/client/src-tauri/src/telemetry/check_triggers.rs
+++ b/client/src-tauri/src/telemetry/check_triggers.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ pub fn check_triggers(
         match data {
             network_tables::Value::Boolean(b) => {
                 if *b != *previous_gpws {
-                    #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
                     tracing::debug!("gpws: {}", b);
 
                     app_handle
diff --git a/client/src-tauri/src/telemetry/create_subscription.rs b/client/src-tauri/src/telemetry/create_subscription.rs
index db45bcf..4fd29e4 100644
--- a/client/src-tauri/src/telemetry/create_subscription.rs
+++ b/client/src-tauri/src/telemetry/create_subscription.rs
@@ -32,8 +32,7 @@ pub async fn create_subscription(client: &Client) -> Result<Subscription, networ
         match subscription_attempt {
             Ok(subscription) => break Ok(subscription),
             Err(e) => {
-                #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
-                tracing::warn!("Failed to create subscription: {:?}", e);
+                tracing::debug!("Failed to create subscription: {:?}", e);
 
                 if attempts >= 50 {
                     break Err(e);
diff --git a/client/src-tauri/src/telemetry/mod.rs b/client/src-tauri/src/telemetry/mod.rs
index f3c72e3..f6c2d9d 100644
--- a/client/src-tauri/src/telemetry/mod.rs
+++ b/client/src-tauri/src/telemetry/mod.rs
@@ -59,11 +59,9 @@ pub async fn subscribe_topics(
                 };
             }
 
-            #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
             tracing::debug!("{}", json_message);
         }
 
-        #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
         tracing::debug!("disconnected");
         app_handle
             .emit_all("telemetry_status", "disconnected")