diff --git a/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v1.rs b/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v1.rs
index a09eee36e7..c67f9358ae 100644
--- a/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v1.rs
+++ b/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v1.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use nym_pemstore::store_keypair;
 use old_configs::old_config_v2::*;
 use rand::rngs::OsRng;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use tracing::instrument;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Deserialize, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize)]
 #[serde(deny_unknown_fields)]
@@ -756,15 +757,16 @@ fn initialise(config: &WireguardV2) -> std::io::Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[instrument(skip_all)]
 pub async fn try_upgrade_config_v1<P: AsRef<Path>>(
     path: P,
     prev_config: Option<ConfigV1>,
 ) -> Result<ConfigV2, NymNodeError> {
-    tracing::debug!("Updating from 1.1.2");
+    debug!("attempting to load v1 config...");
     let old_cfg = if let Some(prev_config) = prev_config {
         prev_config
     } else {
-        ConfigV1::read_from_path(&path)?
+        ConfigV1::read_from_path(&path).inspect_err(|err| debug!("failed: {err}"))?
     };
     let wireguard = WireguardV2 {
         enabled: old_cfg.wireguard.enabled,
diff --git a/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v2.rs b/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v2.rs
index 28e35e66bc..2082ed4f70 100644
--- a/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v2.rs
+++ b/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v2.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ use nym_sphinx_acknowledgements::AckKey;
 use old_configs::old_config_v3::*;
 use rand::rngs::OsRng;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use tracing::instrument;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Deserialize, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize)]
 #[serde(deny_unknown_fields)]
@@ -786,15 +787,16 @@ pub async fn initialise(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[instrument(skip_all)]
 pub async fn try_upgrade_config_v2<P: AsRef<Path>>(
     path: P,
     prev_config: Option<ConfigV2>,
 ) -> Result<ConfigV3, NymNodeError> {
-    tracing::debug!("Updating from 1.1.3");
+    debug!("attempting to load v2 config...");
     let old_cfg = if let Some(prev_config) = prev_config {
         prev_config
     } else {
-        ConfigV2::read_from_path(&path)?
+        ConfigV2::read_from_path(&path).inspect_err(|err| debug!("failed: {err}"))?
     };
 
     let authenticator_paths = AuthenticatorPathsV3::new(
diff --git a/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v3.rs b/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v3.rs
index 01ce8a9e49..1301230167 100644
--- a/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v3.rs
+++ b/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v3.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ use old_configs::old_config_v4::*;
 use persistence::*;
 use rand::rngs::OsRng;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use tracing::instrument;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Deserialize, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize)]
 #[serde(deny_unknown_fields)]
@@ -938,15 +939,16 @@ pub async fn initialise(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[instrument(skip_all)]
 pub async fn try_upgrade_config_v3<P: AsRef<Path>>(
     path: P,
     prev_config: Option<ConfigV3>,
 ) -> Result<ConfigV4, NymNodeError> {
-    tracing::debug!("Updating from 1.1.4");
+    debug!("attempting to load v3 config...");
     let old_cfg = if let Some(prev_config) = prev_config {
         prev_config
     } else {
-        ConfigV3::read_from_path(&path)?
+        ConfigV3::read_from_path(&path).inspect_err(|err| debug!("failed: {err}"))?
     };
 
     let exit_gateway_paths = ExitGatewayPaths::new(
diff --git a/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v4.rs b/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v4.rs
index 8e8e3758d0..03a32b2b39 100644
--- a/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v4.rs
+++ b/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v4.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ use old_configs::old_config_v5::*;
 use persistence::*;
 use rand::rngs::OsRng;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use tracing::instrument;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Deserialize, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize)]
 #[serde(deny_unknown_fields)]
@@ -203,7 +204,7 @@ pub struct MixnetV4 {
     /// If applicable, custom port announced in the self-described API that other clients and nodes
     /// will use.
     /// Useful when the node is behind a proxy.
-    #[serde(deserialize_with = "de_maybe_port")]
+    #[serde(deserialize_with = "de_maybe_port", default)]
     pub announce_port: Option<u16>,
 
     /// Addresses to nym APIs from which the node gets the view of the network.
@@ -385,7 +386,7 @@ pub struct VerlocV4 {
     /// default: `0.0.0.0:1790`
     pub bind_address: SocketAddr,
 
-    #[serde(deserialize_with = "de_maybe_port")]
+    #[serde(deserialize_with = "de_maybe_port", default)]
     pub announce_port: Option<u16>,
 
     #[serde(default)]
@@ -1060,15 +1061,16 @@ pub async fn initialise(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[instrument(skip_all)]
 pub async fn try_upgrade_config_v4<P: AsRef<Path>>(
     path: P,
     prev_config: Option<ConfigV4>,
 ) -> Result<ConfigV5, NymNodeError> {
-    tracing::debug!("Updating from 1.1.5");
+    debug!("attempting to load v4 config...");
     let old_cfg = if let Some(prev_config) = prev_config {
         prev_config
     } else {
-        ConfigV4::read_from_path(&path)?
+        ConfigV4::read_from_path(&path).inspect_err(|err| debug!("failed: {err}"))?
     };
 
     let exit_gateway_paths = ExitGatewayPaths::new(
diff --git a/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v5.rs b/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v5.rs
index 936882f113..4a1cb57c64 100644
--- a/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v5.rs
+++ b/nym-node/src/config/old_configs/old_config_v5.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ use nym_sphinx_acknowledgements::AckKey;
 use persistence::*;
 use rand::rngs::OsRng;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use tracing::instrument;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Deserialize, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize)]
 #[serde(deny_unknown_fields)]
@@ -208,7 +209,7 @@ pub struct MixnetV5 {
     /// If applicable, custom port announced in the self-described API that other clients and nodes
     /// will use.
     /// Useful when the node is behind a proxy.
-    #[serde(deserialize_with = "de_maybe_port")]
+    #[serde(deserialize_with = "de_maybe_port", default)]
     pub announce_port: Option<u16>,
 
     /// Addresses to nym APIs from which the node gets the view of the network.
@@ -390,7 +391,7 @@ pub struct VerlocV5 {
     /// default: `0.0.0.0:1790`
     pub bind_address: SocketAddr,
 
-    #[serde(deserialize_with = "de_maybe_port")]
+    #[serde(deserialize_with = "de_maybe_port", default)]
     pub announce_port: Option<u16>,
 
     #[serde(default)]
@@ -1069,15 +1070,16 @@ pub async fn initialise(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[instrument(skip_all)]
 pub async fn try_upgrade_config_v5<P: AsRef<Path>>(
     path: P,
     prev_config: Option<ConfigV5>,
 ) -> Result<Config, NymNodeError> {
-    tracing::debug!("Updating from 1.1.6");
+    debug!("attempting to load v5 config...");
     let old_cfg = if let Some(prev_config) = prev_config {
         prev_config
     } else {
-        ConfigV5::read_from_path(&path)?
+        ConfigV5::read_from_path(&path).inspect_err(|err| debug!("failed: {err}"))?
     };
 
     let (private_ipv4, private_ipv6) = match old_cfg.wireguard.private_ip {
diff --git a/nym-node/src/config/upgrade_helpers.rs b/nym-node/src/config/upgrade_helpers.rs
index bae75192ec..c7596b69a6 100644
--- a/nym-node/src/config/upgrade_helpers.rs
+++ b/nym-node/src/config/upgrade_helpers.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use crate::config::old_configs::*;
 use crate::config::Config;
 use crate::error::NymNodeError;
 use std::path::Path;
+use tracing::debug;
 
 // currently there are no upgrades
 async fn try_upgrade_config(path: &Path) -> Result<(), NymNodeError> {
@@ -24,7 +25,10 @@ async fn try_upgrade_config(path: &Path) -> Result<(), NymNodeError> {
 pub async fn try_load_current_config<P: AsRef<Path>>(
     config_path: P,
 ) -> Result<Config, NymNodeError> {
-    if let Ok(cfg) = Config::read_from_toml_file(config_path.as_ref()) {
+    if let Ok(cfg) = Config::read_from_toml_file(config_path.as_ref())
+        .inspect_err(|err| debug!("didn't manage to load the current config: {err}"))
+    {
+        debug!("managed to load the current version of the config");
         return Ok(cfg);
     }