diff --git a/lib/logstash/inputs/redis.rb b/lib/logstash/inputs/redis.rb
index e8a2667..4c56007 100755
--- a/lib/logstash/inputs/redis.rb
+++ b/lib/logstash/inputs/redis.rb
@@ -161,9 +161,12 @@ def queue_event(msg, output_queue, channel=nil)
       @codec.decode(msg) do |event|
         decorate(event)
         event.set("[@metadata][redis_channel]", channel) if !channel.nil?
+        puts "enqueueing event #{event.to_json} onto queue #{output_queue.object_id}" if msg['c'] || msg['p']
         output_queue << event
+        puts "event #{event.to_json} successfully enqueued, queue: #{output_queue.object_id}" if msg['c'] || msg['p']
       end
     rescue => e # parse or event creation error
+      puts "couldn't queue event onto queue #{queue.object_id}"
       @logger.error("Failed to create event", :message => msg, :exception => e, :backtrace => e.backtrace);
     end
   end
@@ -314,7 +317,9 @@ def channel_listener(output_queue)
       end
 
       on.message do |channel, message|
+        puts "received message #{message}"
         queue_event(message, output_queue, channel)
+        puts "successfully enqueued message #{message}"
       end
 
       on.unsubscribe do |channel, count|
@@ -337,7 +342,9 @@ def pattern_channel_listener(output_queue)
       end
 
       on.pmessage do |pattern, channel, message|
+        puts "received message #{message}"
         queue_event(message, output_queue, channel)
+        puts "successfully enqueued message #{message}"
       end
 
       on.punsubscribe do |channel, count|
diff --git a/spec/inputs/redis_spec.rb b/spec/inputs/redis_spec.rb
index d070f13..71c31e1 100755
--- a/spec/inputs/redis_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/inputs/redis_spec.rb
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def process(conf, event_count)
 end
 
 describe LogStash::Inputs::Redis do
-  let(:queue) { Queue.new }
+  #let(:queue) { Queue.new }
 
   let(:data_type) { 'list' }
   let(:batch_count) { 1 }
@@ -141,6 +141,8 @@ def process(conf, event_count)
 
   context 'runtime for list data_type' do
 
+    let(:queue) { Queue.new }
+
     before do
       subject.register
       allow_any_instance_of( Redis::Client ).to receive(:connected?).and_return true
@@ -314,7 +316,7 @@ def process(conf, event_count)
 
     before { subject.register }
 
-    def run_it_thread(inst)
+    def run_it_thread(inst, queue)
       Thread.new(inst) do |subj|
         subj.run(queue)
       end
@@ -324,16 +326,22 @@ def publish_thread(new_redis, prefix)
       Thread.new(new_redis, prefix) do |r, p|
         sleep 0.1
         2.times do |i|
-          r.publish('foo', "#{p}#{i.next}")
+          puts "i is #{i}"
+          r.publish('foo', {"#{p}" => "#{i.next}"}.to_json)
         end
       end
     end
 
-    def close_thread(inst, rt)
+    def close_thread(inst, rt, queue)
       Thread.new(inst, rt) do |subj, runner|
         # block for the messages
+        puts "close_thread: queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size #{queue.size}"
+        puts "popping first event"
         e1 = queue.pop
+        puts "got event #{e1.to_hash}"
+        puts "popping second event"
         e2 = queue.pop
+        puts "got event #{e2.to_hash}"
         # put em back for the tests
         queue.push(e1)
         queue.push(e2)
@@ -366,22 +374,32 @@ def close_thread(inst, rt)
 
       context 'real redis', :redis => true do
         it 'calling the run method, adds events to the queue' do
+          queue = Queue.new
           #simulate the input thread
-          rt = run_it_thread(subject)
+          puts "channel real redis: starting run thread queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
+          rt = run_it_thread(subject, queue)
           #simulate the other system thread
+          puts "starting publish thread queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
           publish_thread(subject.send(:new_redis_instance), 'c').join
+          puts "joined publish thread queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
           #simulate the pipeline thread
-          close_thread(subject, rt).join
+          close_thread(subject, rt, queue).join
+          puts "joined close thread queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
 
           expect(queue.size).to eq(2)
         end
         it 'events had redis_channel' do
+          queue = Queue.new
           #simulate the input thread
-          rt = run_it_thread(subject)
+          puts "channel: events had redis_channel: starting run thread queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
+          rt = run_it_thread(subject, queue)
+          puts "starting publish thread queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
           #simulate the other system thread
           publish_thread(subject.send(:new_redis_instance), 'c').join
+          puts "joined publish thread queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
           #simulate the pipeline thread
-          close_thread(subject, rt).join
+          close_thread(subject, rt, queue).join
+          puts "joined close thread queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
           e1 = queue.pop
           e2 = queue.pop
           expect(e1.get('[@metadata][redis_channel]')).to eq('foo')
@@ -404,23 +422,33 @@ def close_thread(inst, rt)
 
       context 'real redis', :redis => true do
         it 'calling the run method, adds events to the queue' do
+          queue = Queue.new
           #simulate the input thread
-          rt = run_it_thread(subject)
+          puts "pattern_channel: real redis: starting run thread, queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
+          rt = run_it_thread(subject, queue)
           #simulate the other system thread
+          puts "starting publish thread queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
           publish_thread(subject.send(:new_redis_instance), 'pc').join
+          puts "joined publish thread queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
           #simulate the pipeline thread
-          close_thread(subject, rt).join
+          close_thread(subject, rt, queue).join
+          puts "joined close thread queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
 
           expect(queue.size).to eq(2)
         end
 
         it 'events had redis_channel' do
+          queue = Queue.new
           #simulate the input thread
-          rt = run_it_thread(subject)
+          puts "pattern_channel: redis_channel: starting run thread, queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
+          rt = run_it_thread(subject, queue)
           #simulate the other system thread
+          puts "starting publish thread queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
           publish_thread(subject.send(:new_redis_instance), 'pc').join
+          puts "joined publish thread queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
           #simulate the pipeline thread
-          close_thread(subject, rt).join
+          close_thread(subject, rt, queue).join
+          puts "joined close thread queue: #{queue.object_id}, queue.size: #{queue.size}"
           e1 = queue.pop
           e2 = queue.pop
           expect(e1.get('[@metadata][redis_channel]')).to eq('foo')