diff --git a/chat_listener.py b/chat_listener.py
index 78f524e..57896f2 100644
--- a/chat_listener.py
+++ b/chat_listener.py
@@ -26,22 +26,30 @@ class TwitchBot(twitchio.Client):
 
     async def event_ready(self):
         """Called once when the bot goes online."""
-        print(f"Listener ready for #{self.channel_name}")
+        # Diagnostic Logging: Confirming the bot is ready and joined the channel.
+        print(f"DIAGNOSTIC: Listener connected and ready for user_id: {self.db_user_id}, channel: #{self.channel_name}")
 
     async def event_message(self, message): # Mandate: Type hint removed to prevent import errors.
         """Runs every time a message is sent in chat."""        
+        # Diagnostic Logging: Checkpoint 1 - A raw message is received from Twitch.
+        print(f"DIAGNOSTIC: Message received for user {self.db_user_id} in channel {self.channel_name}: '{message.content}'")
+
         # Ignore messages sent by the bot itself to prevent loops.
         if message.echo:
             return
         
         # Prepare the message data to be sent to the frontend
         chat_data = {
-            "author": message.author.name,
+            "author": message.author.name if message.author else "Twitch",
             "text": message.content,
             "platform": "twitch"
         }
+        # Diagnostic Logging: Checkpoint 2 - The message data has been prepared for broadcasting.
+        print(f"DIAGNOSTIC: Prepared chat_data for user {self.db_user_id}: {chat_data}")
 
         # Broadcast the message to the specific user's overlay
         # We need the user's ID to know which WebSocket connection to send to.
         user_id = self.db_user_id
-        await self.websocket_manager.broadcast_to_user(user_id, chat_data)
\ No newline at end of file
+        await self.websocket_manager.broadcast_to_user(user_id, chat_data)
+        # Diagnostic Logging: Checkpoint 3 - The broadcast function was called.
+        print(f"DIAGNOSTIC: Broadcast called for user {self.db_user_id}.")
\ No newline at end of file