diff --git a/src/box/box.cc b/src/box/box.cc
index 4cf7dd13d0b12e078b2133aa69623bb59917f43b..e3eb2738f379184c37520982259eaa8db14c18e5 100644
--- a/src/box/box.cc
+++ b/src/box/box.cc
@@ -1925,13 +1925,13 @@ box_cfg_xc(void)
 	/* Follow replica */
 	replicaset_follow();
 
-	say_info("ready to accept requests");
-
 	fiber_gc();
 	is_box_configured = true;
 
 	if (!is_bootstrap_leader)
 		replicaset_sync();
+
+	say_info("ready to accept requests");
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/box/replication.cc b/src/box/replication.cc
index 0b770c9131c63ecb8c2d9be27d51ee4f04947c06..89e9eb4a5cb89860ef295729ef56a1ad5ed51836 100644
--- a/src/box/replication.cc
+++ b/src/box/replication.cc
@@ -520,6 +520,7 @@ replicaset_connect(struct applier **appliers, int count,
 		replicaset_update(appliers, count);
 		return;
 	}
+	say_verbose("connecting to %d replicas", count);
 
 	/*
 	 * Simultaneously connect to remote peers to receive their UUIDs
@@ -564,9 +565,13 @@ replicaset_connect(struct applier **appliers, int count,
 		timeout -= ev_monotonic_now(loop()) - wait_start;
 	}
 	if (state.connected < count) {
+		say_crit("failed to connect to %d out of %d replicas",
+			 count - state.connected, count);
 		/* Timeout or connection failure. */
 		if (connect_all)
 			goto error;
+	} else {
+		say_verbose("connected to %d replicas", state.connected);
 	}
 
 	for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
@@ -631,29 +636,41 @@ replicaset_sync(void)
 {
 	int quorum = replicaset_quorum();
 
+	if (quorum > 0)
+		say_verbose("synchronizing with %d replicas", quorum);
+
 	if (replicaset.applier.connected < quorum) {
 		/*
 		 * Not enough replicas connected to form a quorum.
 		 * Do not stall configuration, leave the instance
 		 * in 'orphan' state.
 		 */
+		say_crit("entering orphan mode");
 		return;
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * Wait until a quorum is formed. Abort waiting if
-	 * a quorum cannot be formed because of errors.
+	 * Wait until all connected replicas synchronize up to
+	 * replication_sync_lag
 	 */
 	while (replicaset.applier.synced < quorum &&
 	       replicaset.applier.connected >= quorum)
 		fiber_cond_wait(&replicaset.applier.cond);
+
+	if (quorum > 0) {
+		say_crit("replica set sync complete, quorum of %d "
+			 "replicas formed", quorum);
+	}
 }
 
 void
 replicaset_check_quorum(void)
 {
-	if (replicaset.applier.synced >= replicaset_quorum())
+	if (replicaset.applier.synced >= replicaset_quorum()) {
+		if (replicaset_quorum() > 0)
+			say_crit("leaving orphan mode");
 		box_clear_orphan();
+	}
 }
 
 void