diff --git a/lib/portainer_cli.rb b/lib/portainer_cli.rb
index 5290e4d..16aedc8 100644
--- a/lib/portainer_cli.rb
+++ b/lib/portainer_cli.rb
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ module PortainerCli
     HELP
 
     def self.run(argv)
+      debug = argv.delete('--debug')
       config = Config.load
       cmd    = argv.shift&.downcase
 
@@ -56,11 +57,11 @@ module PortainerCli
       when 'console'
         require_config!(config)
         client = Client.new(config)
-        Commands::Console.new(config, client).run(argv)
+        Commands::Console.new(config, client, debug: debug).run(argv)
       when 'exec', 'shell'
         require_config!(config)
         client = Client.new(config)
-        Commands::Exec.new(config, client).run(argv)
+        Commands::Exec.new(config, client, debug: debug).run(argv)
       when 'version', '--version', '-v'
         puts "portainer-cli #{PortainerCli::VERSION}"
       when 'help', '--help', '-h', nil
diff --git a/lib/portainer_cli/commands/console.rb b/lib/portainer_cli/commands/console.rb
index 0e68495..108a6ef 100644
--- a/lib/portainer_cli/commands/console.rb
+++ b/lib/portainer_cli/commands/console.rb
@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@ module PortainerCli
     class Console
       include Base
 
-      def initialize(config, client)
+      def initialize(config, client, debug: false)
         @config = config
         @client = client
+        @debug  = debug
       end
 
       def run(args)
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ module PortainerCli
         send_resize(endpoint_id, exec_id) if $stdout.tty?
         trap('SIGWINCH') { send_resize(endpoint_id, exec_id) } if $stdout.tty?
 
-        WebsocketExec.new(ws_url, @config.auth_header, ssl_verify: @config.ssl_verify).run
+        WebsocketExec.new(ws_url, @config.auth_header, ssl_verify: @config.ssl_verify, debug: @debug).run
 
         $stderr.puts dim("\r\nSession ended.")
       rescue PortainerCli::Client::ApiError => e
diff --git a/lib/portainer_cli/commands/exec.rb b/lib/portainer_cli/commands/exec.rb
index 3fdc554..a63de90 100644
--- a/lib/portainer_cli/commands/exec.rb
+++ b/lib/portainer_cli/commands/exec.rb
@@ -9,9 +9,10 @@ module PortainerCli
     class Exec
       include Base
 
-      def initialize(config, client)
+      def initialize(config, client, debug: false)
         @config = config
         @client = client
+        @debug  = debug
       end
 
       # portainer-cli exec <endpoint-id> <container-name-or-id> [-- cmd args...]
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ module PortainerCli
         send_resize(endpoint_id, exec_id) if $stdout.tty?
         trap('SIGWINCH') { send_resize(endpoint_id, exec_id) } if $stdout.tty?
 
-        WebsocketExec.new(ws_url, @config.auth_header, ssl_verify: @config.ssl_verify).run
+        WebsocketExec.new(ws_url, @config.auth_header, ssl_verify: @config.ssl_verify, debug: @debug).run
 
         $stderr.puts dim("\r\nSession ended.")
       rescue PortainerCli::Client::ApiError => e
diff --git a/lib/portainer_cli/websocket_exec.rb b/lib/portainer_cli/websocket_exec.rb
index 6aea79d..82d8028 100644
--- a/lib/portainer_cli/websocket_exec.rb
+++ b/lib/portainer_cli/websocket_exec.rb
@@ -10,17 +10,23 @@ module PortainerCli
   class WebsocketExec
     READ_SIZE = 4096
 
-    def initialize(url, auth_header, ssl_verify: true)
+    def initialize(url, auth_header, ssl_verify: true, debug: false)
       @url         = URI.parse(url)
       @auth_header = auth_header
       @ssl_verify  = ssl_verify
+      @debug       = debug
     end
 
     def run
+      debug "WS URL: #{@url}"
+      debug "Auth headers: #{@auth_header.map { |k, v| "#{k}: #{v[0, 8]}..." }.join(', ')}"
+
       socket = open_socket
 
       handshake = perform_handshake(socket)
-      raise "WebSocket handshake failed: #{handshake.error}" unless handshake.valid?
+      unless handshake.valid?
+        raise "WebSocket handshake failed: #{handshake.error}\nServer response:\n#{handshake.instance_variable_get(:@data)}"
+      end
 
       run_io_loop(socket)
     ensure
@@ -50,18 +56,27 @@ module PortainerCli
         url:     @url.to_s,
         headers: @auth_header
       )
+      debug "Handshake request:\n#{handshake.to_s.chomp}"
       socket.write(handshake.to_s)
 
+      response = +''
       loop do
         byte = socket.read(1)
         break if byte.nil?
+        response << byte
         handshake << byte
         break if handshake.finished?
       end
+      debug "Handshake response:\n#{response.chomp}"
 
       handshake
     end
 
+    def debug(msg)
+      return unless @debug
+      $stderr.puts "\e[2m[debug] #{msg}\e[0m"
+    end
+
     def run_io_loop(socket)
       incoming = WebSocket::Frame::Incoming::Client.new