diff --git a/tools/chatgui/build.sh b/tools/chatgui/build.sh
index 6bf227bc..5a1889a1 100755
--- a/tools/chatgui/build.sh
+++ b/tools/chatgui/build.sh
@@ -94,7 +94,18 @@ for ((i = 0; i < ${#todo[@]}; i++)); do
     SYSTEM_COUNT=0
     FILE_COPIED=0
     FILE_MISSING=0
+    PARSE_STARTED=$SECONDS
+    log "  Parsing import table: $src (awk starting)"
+    if import_list=$(awk '/DLL Name:/ {print $3}' <<< "$imports" 2>&1); then
+        log "  Import table parsed: $src (elapsed=$((SECONDS - PARSE_STARTED))s, names=${#import_list} chars)"
+    else
+        RC=$?
+        log "  ERROR: cannot parse imports for $src (exit=$RC, elapsed=$((SECONDS - PARSE_STARTED))s): $import_list"
+        MISSING=$((MISSING + 1))
+        continue
+    fi
     while read -r dep; do
+            [ -z "$dep" ] && continue
             IMPORT_COUNT=$((IMPORT_COUNT + 1))
             case "$dep" in
                 kernel32.dll|msvcrt.dll|msvcp140.dll|vcruntime140.dll|ucrtbase.dll|\
@@ -108,9 +119,12 @@ for ((i = 0; i < ${#todo[@]}; i++)); do
                     SYSTEM_COUNT=$((SYSTEM_COUNT + 1))
                     continue ;;
             esac
+            DEP_STARTED=$SECONDS
+            log "    Resolving import $IMPORT_COUNT: $dep (checking $BUILD_DIR/$dep)"
             if [ ! -f "$BUILD_DIR/$dep" ]; then
                 dep_src=""
                 for dir in "$FFMPEG_BIN" /ucrt64/bin "$SRC_DIR/rlottie_build"; do
+                    log "    Searching: $dir/$dep"
                     if [ -f "$dir/$dep" ]; then
                         dep_src="$dir/$dep"
                         break
@@ -129,7 +143,8 @@ for ((i = 0; i < ${#todo[@]}; i++)); do
                 log "  OK: $dep (from $dep_src; required by $src)"
             fi
             todo+=("$BUILD_DIR/$dep")
-    done < <(awk '/DLL Name:/ {print $3}' <<< "$imports")
+            log "    Dependency ready: $dep (elapsed=$((SECONDS - DEP_STARTED))s, queue entries=${#todo[@]})"
+    done <<< "$import_list"
     log "  Checked: $src (elapsed=$((SECONDS - CHECK_STARTED))s, imports=$IMPORT_COUNT, system=$SYSTEM_COUNT)"
     log "    copied=$FILE_COPIED, missing=$FILE_MISSING, pending entries=$((${#todo[@]} - i - 1))"
 done