diff --git a/client/hostinfo_wsl.cpp b/client/hostinfo_wsl.cpp
index cb852c4ab7..f07dd76c8d 100644
--- a/client/hostinfo_wsl.cpp
+++ b/client/hostinfo_wsl.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ int get_all_distros(WSL_DISTROS& distros) {
         lxss_path.c_str(), 0, KEY_QUERY_VALUE | KEY_ENUMERATE_SUB_KEYS, &hKey
     );
     if (lRet != ERROR_SUCCESS) {
+        msg_printf(0, MSG_INFO, "WSL: registry open failed");
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ int get_all_distros(WSL_DISTROS& distros) {
         (LPBYTE)default_wsl_guid, &default_wsl_guid_len
     );
     if ((lRet != ERROR_SUCCESS) || (default_wsl_guid_len > buf_len)) {
+        msg_printf(0, MSG_INFO, "WSL: registry query failed");
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -179,10 +181,12 @@ int get_wsl_information(WSL_DISTROS &distros) {
     WSL_DISTROS all_distros;
     int retval = get_all_distros(all_distros);
     if (retval) return retval;
+    string err_msg;
 
     WSL_CMD rs;
 
-    if (rs.setup()) {
+    if (rs.setup(err_msg)) {
+        msg_printf(0, MSG_INFO, "WSL setup error: %s", err_msg.c_str());
         return -1;
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/util.cpp b/lib/util.cpp
index 55312ff694..55413de728 100644
--- a/lib/util.cpp
+++ b/lib/util.cpp
@@ -704,9 +704,10 @@ string parse_ldd_libc(const char* input) {
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
 int DOCKER_CONN::init(DOCKER_TYPE docker_type, string distro_name, bool _verbose) {
+    string err_msg;
     cli_prog = docker_cli_prog(docker_type);
     if (docker_type == DOCKER) {
-        int retval = ctl_wc.setup();
+        int retval = ctl_wc.setup(err_msg);
         if (retval) return retval;
         retval = ctl_wc.run_program_in_wsl(distro_name, "", true);
         if (retval) return retval;
diff --git a/lib/win_util.cpp b/lib/win_util.cpp
index 65e2ccda45..64592fb68b 100644
--- a/lib/win_util.cpp
+++ b/lib/win_util.cpp
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ typedef HRESULT(WINAPI *PWslLaunch)(
 static PWslLaunch pWslLaunch = NULL;
 static HINSTANCE wsl_lib = NULL;
 
-int WSL_CMD::setup() {
+int WSL_CMD::setup(string &err_msg) {
     in_read = NULL;
     in_write = NULL;
     out_read = NULL;
@@ -207,9 +207,15 @@ int WSL_CMD::setup() {
 
     if (!pWslLaunch) {
         wsl_lib = LoadLibraryA("wslapi.dll");
-        if (!wsl_lib) return -1;
+        if (!wsl_lib) {
+            err_msg = "Can't load wslapi.dll";
+            return -1;
+        }
         pWslLaunch = (PWslLaunch)GetProcAddress(wsl_lib, "WslLaunch");
-        if (!pWslLaunch) return -1;
+        if (!pWslLaunch) {
+            err_msg = "WslLaunch not in wslapi.dll";
+            return -1;
+        }
     }
 
     SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES sa;
@@ -217,10 +223,22 @@ int WSL_CMD::setup() {
     sa.bInheritHandle = TRUE;
     sa.lpSecurityDescriptor = NULL;
 
-    if (!CreatePipe(&out_read, &out_write, &sa, 0)) return -1;
-    if (!SetHandleInformation(out_read, HANDLE_FLAG_INHERIT, 0)) return -1;
-    if (!CreatePipe(&in_read, &in_write, &sa, 0)) return -1;
-    if (!SetHandleInformation(in_write, HANDLE_FLAG_INHERIT, 0)) return -1;
+    if (!CreatePipe(&out_read, &out_write, &sa, 0)) {
+        err_msg = "Can't create out pipe";
+        return -1;
+    }
+    if (!SetHandleInformation(out_read, HANDLE_FLAG_INHERIT, 0)) {
+        err_msg = "Can't inherit out pipe";
+        return -1;
+    }
+    if (!CreatePipe(&in_read, &in_write, &sa, 0)) {
+        err_msg = "Can't create in pipe";
+        return -1;
+    }
+    if (!SetHandleInformation(in_write, HANDLE_FLAG_INHERIT, 0)) {
+        err_msg = "Can't inherit in pipe";
+        return -1;
+    }
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/win_util.h b/lib/win_util.h
index 0dba261b10..9cffddb62c 100644
--- a/lib/win_util.h
+++ b/lib/win_util.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ struct WSL_CMD {
     // Use WslLaunch() to run a shell in the WSL container
     // The shell will run as the default user
     //
-    int setup();
+    int setup(std::string&);
 
     // Use wsl.exe to run a shell as root in the WSL container
     //
diff --git a/samples/wsl_wrapper/wsl_wrapper.cpp b/samples/wsl_wrapper/wsl_wrapper.cpp
index b2103b7eb0..0f4b9d1fc7 100644
--- a/samples/wsl_wrapper/wsl_wrapper.cpp
+++ b/samples/wsl_wrapper/wsl_wrapper.cpp
@@ -97,9 +97,10 @@ int error(const char* where, int retval) {
 //
 int launch(const char* distro, const char* cmd) {
     char launch_cmd[256];
+    string err_msg;
     sprintf(launch_cmd, "echo $$; %s; touch boinc_job_done\n", cmd);
-    int retval = app_wc.setup();
-    if (retval) return error("app setup", retval);
+    int retval = app_wc.setup(err_msg);
+    if (retval) return error(err_msg.c_str(), retval);
     retval = app_wc.run_program_in_wsl(distro, launch_cmd, true);
     if (retval) return error("app run_program_in_wsl", retval);
 
@@ -117,8 +118,8 @@ int launch(const char* distro, const char* cmd) {
 
     // set up control channel
     //
-    retval = ctl_wc.setup();
-    if (retval) return error("ctl setup", retval);
+    retval = ctl_wc.setup(err_msg);
+    if (retval) return error(err_msg.c_str(), retval);
     retval = ctl_wc.run_program_in_wsl(distro, "", true);
         // empty string means run shell
     if (retval) return error("ctl run_program_in_wsl", retval);