diff --git a/server/boot/explorer.js b/server/boot/explorer.js
index 4480abecc7..d5abb9e8c5 100644
--- a/server/boot/explorer.js
+++ b/server/boot/explorer.js
@@ -1,15 +1,19 @@
+const createDebugger = require('debug');
+
+const log = createDebugger('fcc:boot:explorer');
+
 module.exports = function mountLoopBackExplorer(app) {
   if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production') {
     return;
   }
-  var explorer;
+  let explorer;
   try {
     explorer = require('loopback-component-explorer');
   } catch (err) {
     // Print the message only when the app was started via `app.listen()`.
     // Do not print any message when the project is used as a component.
     app.once('started', function() {
-      console.log(
+      log(
         'Run `npm install loopback-component-explorer` to enable ' +
         'the LoopBack explorer'
       );
@@ -17,13 +21,13 @@ module.exports = function mountLoopBackExplorer(app) {
     return;
   }
 
-  var restApiRoot = app.get('restApiRoot');
-  var mountPath = '/explorer';
+  const restApiRoot = app.get('restApiRoot');
+  const mountPath = '/explorer';
 
   explorer(app, { basePath: restApiRoot, mountPath });
   app.once('started', function() {
-    var baseUrl = app.get('url').replace(/\/$/, '');
+    const baseUrl = app.get('url').replace(/\/$/, '');
 
-    console.log('Browse your REST API at %s%s', baseUrl, mountPath);
+    log('Browse your REST API at %s%s', baseUrl, mountPath);
   });
 };
diff --git a/server/production-start.js b/server/production-start.js
index 928149189f..172984e019 100644
--- a/server/production-start.js
+++ b/server/production-start.js
@@ -1,16 +1,22 @@
 // this ensures node understands the future
 require('babel-register');
 const _ = require('lodash');
+const createDebugger = require('debug');
 
+const log = createDebugger('fcc:server:production-start');
 const startTime = Date.now();
+// force logger to always output
+// this may be brittle
+log.enabled = true;
 // this is where server starts booting up
 const app = require('./server');
 
+
 let timeoutHandler;
 let killTime = 15;
 
 const onConnect = _.once(() => {
-  console.log('db connected in: %s', Date.now() - startTime);
+  log('db connected in: %s', Date.now() - startTime);
   if (timeoutHandler) {
     clearTimeout(timeoutHandler);
   }
diff --git a/server/server.js b/server/server.js
index 9a9a637202..216e680a3c 100755
--- a/server/server.js
+++ b/server/server.js
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@ const boot = require('loopback-boot');
 const expressState = require('express-state');
 const path = require('path');
 const setupPassport = require('./component-passport');
+const createDebugger = require('debug');
+
+const log = createDebugger('fcc:server');
+// force logger to always output
+// this may be brittle
+log.enabled = true;
 
 Rx.config.longStackSupport = process.env.NODE_DEBUG !== 'production';
 const app = loopback();
@@ -38,30 +44,30 @@ boot(app, {
 setupPassport(app);
 
 const { db } = app.datasources;
-db.on('connected', _.once(() => console.log('db connected')));
+db.on('connected', _.once(() => log('db connected')));
 app.start = _.once(function() {
   const server = app.listen(app.get('port'), function() {
     app.emit('started');
-    console.log(
+    log(
       'freeCodeCamp server listening on port %d in %s',
       app.get('port'),
       app.get('env')
     );
     if (isBeta) {
-      console.log('freeCodeCamp is in beta mode');
+      log('freeCodeCamp is in beta mode');
     }
-    console.log(`connecting to db at ${db.settings.url}`);
+    log(`connecting to db at ${db.settings.url}`);
   });
 
   process.on('SIGINT', () => {
-    console.log('Shutting down server');
+    log('Shutting down server');
     server.close(() => {
-      console.log('Server is closed');
+      log('Server is closed');
     });
-    console.log('closing db connection');
+    log('closing db connection');
     db.disconnect()
       .then(() => {
-        console.log('DB connection closed');
+        log('DB connection closed');
         // exit process
         // this may close kept alive sockets
         // eslint-disable-next-line no-process-exit