diff --git a/src/swerex/deployment/docker.py b/src/swerex/deployment/docker.py
index d6ac135..79af6d9 100644
--- a/src/swerex/deployment/docker.py
+++ b/src/swerex/deployment/docker.py
@@ -63,17 +63,21 @@ async def is_alive(self, *, timeout: float | None = None) -> IsAliveResponse:
             raise RuntimeError(msg)
         return await self._runtime.is_alive(timeout=timeout)
 
-    async def _wait_until_alive(self, timeout: float | None = None):
-        return await _wait_until_alive(self.is_alive, timeout=timeout, function_timeout=self._runtime_timeout)
+    async def _wait_until_alive(self, timeout: float = 10.0):
+        try:
+            return await _wait_until_alive(self.is_alive, timeout=timeout, function_timeout=self._runtime_timeout)
+        except TimeoutError as e:
+            self.logger.error("Runtime did not start within timeout. Here's the output from the container process.")
+            assert self._container_process is not None
+            self._container_process.terminate()
+            self.logger.error(self._container_process.stdout.read().decode())  # type: ignore
+            self.logger.error(self._container_process.stderr.read().decode())  # type: ignore
+            raise e
 
     def _get_token(self) -> str:
         return str(uuid.uuid4())
 
-    async def start(
-        self,
-        *,
-        timeout: float | None = None,
-    ):
+    async def start(self, *, timeout: float = 10.0):
         """Starts the runtime."""
         port = self._port or find_free_port()
         assert self._container_name is None
diff --git a/src/swerex/deployment/modal.py b/src/swerex/deployment/modal.py
index 5a0753b..06fecfe 100644
--- a/src/swerex/deployment/modal.py
+++ b/src/swerex/deployment/modal.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ def from_registry(self, image: str) -> modal.Image:
                 }
             )
             secrets = [secret]
+            self.logger.debug("Docker login credentials were provided")
         else:
             self.logger.warning("DOCKER_USERNAME and DOCKER_PASSWORD not set. Using public images.")
             secrets = None
diff --git a/src/swerex/utils/wait.py b/src/swerex/utils/wait.py
index dbaeb81..26a41f6 100644
--- a/src/swerex/utils/wait.py
+++ b/src/swerex/utils/wait.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 
 async def _wait_until_alive(
-    function: Callable, timeout: float | None = None, function_timeout: float | None = 0.1, sleep: float = 0.1
+    function: Callable, timeout: float = 10.0, function_timeout: float | None = 0.1, sleep: float = 0.25
 ):
     """Wait until the function returns a truthy value.
 
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ async def _wait_until_alive(
     Raises:
         TimeoutError
     """
-    if timeout is None:
-        timeout = 10
     end_time = time.time() + timeout
     n_attempts = 0
     while time.time() < end_time:
@@ -28,6 +26,6 @@ async def _wait_until_alive(
         n_attempts += 1
     msg = (
         f"Runtime did not start within {timeout}s (tried to connect {n_attempts} times). "
-        f"The last await response was: {await_response.message!r}"
+        f"The last await response was:\n{await_response.message}"
     )
     raise TimeoutError(msg)