diff --git a/oyster/core.py b/oyster/core.py
index 3ad4ba1..dbd20d0 100644
--- a/oyster/core.py
+++ b/oyster/core.py
@@ -72,10 +72,10 @@ class Kernel(object):
         self.db.drop_collection('logs')
         self.db.drop_collection('status')
 
-    def log(self, action, url, error=False, **kwargs):
+    def log(self, action, doc_id, error=False, **kwargs):
         """ add an entry to the oyster log """
         kwargs['action'] = action
-        kwargs['url'] = url
+        kwargs['doc_id'] = doc_id
         kwargs['error'] = error
         kwargs['timestamp'] = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
         self.db.logs.insert(kwargs)
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class Kernel(object):
         """
         if doc_class not in self.doc_classes:
             error = 'unregistered doc_class %s' % doc_class
-            self.log('track', url=url, error=error)
+            self.log('track', id, url=url, error=error)
             raise ValueError(error)
 
         # try and find an existing version of this document
@@ -123,10 +123,10 @@ class Kernel(object):
                                                     tracked['url'],
                                                     tracked['doc_class'],
                                                     url, doc_class))
-                self.log('track', url=url, error=error)
+                self.log('track', id, url=url, error=error)
                 raise ValueError(error)
 
-        self.log('track', url=url)
+        self.log('track', id, url=url)
 
         newdoc = dict(url=url, doc_class=doc_class,
                       _random=random.randint(0, sys.maxint),
@@ -209,7 +209,8 @@ class Kernel(object):
         else:
             doc['next_update'] = None
 
-        self.log('update', url=url, new_doc=new_version, error=error)
+        self.log('update', doc['_id'], url=url, new_doc=new_version,
+                 error=error)
 
         self.db.tracked.save(doc, safe=True)
 
diff --git a/oyster/ext/elasticsearch.py b/oyster/ext/elasticsearch.py
index 7f783f0..289503d 100644
--- a/oyster/ext/elasticsearch.py
+++ b/oyster/ext/elasticsearch.py
@@ -10,14 +10,19 @@ es = ES(settings.ELASTICSEARCH_HOST)
 class ElasticSearchPush(Task):
     # results go straight to elasticsearch
     ignore_result = True
+    action = 'elasticsearch'
 
     def run(self, doc_id):
         doc = kernel.db.tracked.find_one({'_id': doc_id})
-        text = kernel.extract_text(doc)
 
-        self.get_logger().debug('adding {0} to ElasticSearch'.format(doc_id))
+        try:
+            text = kernel.extract_text(doc)
 
-        es.index(dict(doc['metadata'], text=text),
-                 settings.ELASTICSEARCH_INDEX,
-                 settings.ELASTICSEARCH_DOC_TYPE,
-                 id=doc_id)
+            kernel.log(self.action, doc_id, error=False)
+
+            es.index(dict(doc['metadata'], text=text),
+                     settings.ELASTICSEARCH_INDEX,
+                     settings.ELASTICSEARCH_DOC_TYPE,
+                     id=doc_id)
+        except Exception as e:
+            kernel.log(self.action, doc_id, error=True, exception=str(e))
diff --git a/oyster/templates/log_row.html b/oyster/templates/log_row.html
index f97d4f1..1f7fab4 100644
--- a/oyster/templates/log_row.html
+++ b/oyster/templates/log_row.html
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
     <tr{% if log.error %} class="error" {% endif %}>
         <td>{{log.action}}</td>
-        <td>{{log.url}}</td>
+        <td>{{log.doc_id}} - {{log.url}}</td>
         <td>{{log.timestamp.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")}}</td>
         <td>{% if log.error %}{{log.error}}{% endif %}</td>
     </tr>
diff --git a/oyster/tests/test_kernel.py b/oyster/tests/test_kernel.py
index 9e1614e..ab5a385 100644
--- a/oyster/tests/test_kernel.py
+++ b/oyster/tests/test_kernel.py
@@ -56,12 +56,12 @@ class KernelTests(TestCase):
         assert_raises(ValueError, Kernel, doc_classes={'bad-doc': {}})
 
     def test_log(self):
-        self.kernel.log('action1', 'http://example.com')
-        self.kernel.log('action2', 'http://test.com', error=True, pi=3)
+        self.kernel.log('action1', 'example')
+        self.kernel.log('action2', 'test', error=True, pi=3)
         assert self.kernel.db.logs.count() == 2
         x = self.kernel.db.logs.find_one({'error': True})
         assert x['action'] == 'action2'
-        assert x['url'] == 'http://test.com'
+        assert x['doc_id'] == 'test'
         assert x['pi'] == 3
 
     def test_track_url(self):