diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 902cb31..90e8b2f 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ use std::{
     time::Duration,
 };
 use tower::{BoxError, ServiceBuilder};
-use tower_http::trace::{DefaultMakeSpan, TraceLayer};
+use tower_http::trace::TraceLayer;
 use tracing::instrument;
 use tracing_subscriber::{layer::SubscriberExt, util::SubscriberInitExt};
 use uuid::Uuid;
@@ -68,12 +68,12 @@ async fn main() {
 
     // get config from env
     let config: Config = envy::from_env().unwrap();
-    tracing::debug!("env config: {:?}", config);
+    tracing::info!("env config: {:?}", config);
 
     // determine server's public ip for local servers
     let server_ip = match public_ip::addr().await {
         Some(ip) => {
-            tracing::debug!("found server's public ip: {}", ip);
+            tracing::info!("found server's public ip: {}", ip);
             ip
         }
         None => panic!("unable to find server's public ip address, please make sure it has a connection to the internet"),
@@ -88,15 +88,10 @@ async fn main() {
     let app = Router::new()
         .route("/api/list/servers", get(get_servers))
         // websocket route
-        .route("/api/list/ws", get(ws_handler))
+        .route("/api/list/ws", get(websocket_handler))
         // determine the secure ip source from the env
         .layer(config.ip_source.into_extension())
-        // logging so we can see whats going on
-        .layer(
-            TraceLayer::new_for_http()
-                .make_span_with(DefaultMakeSpan::default().include_headers(true)),
-        )
-        // add fallback option
+        // add default services for error handling, timeout and tracing
         .layer(
             ServiceBuilder::new()
                 .layer(HandleErrorLayer::new(|error: BoxError| async move {
@@ -117,89 +112,107 @@ async fn main() {
 
     // run the server
     let addr = SocketAddr::from(([0, 0, 0, 0], 3000));
-    tracing::debug!("listening on {}", addr);
+    tracing::info!("listening on {}", addr);
     axum::Server::bind(&addr)
         .serve(app.into_make_service_with_connect_info::<SocketAddr>())
         .await
         .unwrap();
 }
 
+#[instrument(skip(app_state))]
 async fn get_servers(
     pagination: Option<Query<Pagination>>,
+    SecureClientIp(ip): SecureClientIp,
     State(app_state): State<AppState>,
 ) -> impl IntoResponse {
+    tracing::info!("sending server list");
     let Query(pagination) = pagination.unwrap_or_default();
     Json(app_state.server_list.get(&pagination))
 }
 
-async fn ws_handler(
+#[instrument(level = "debug", skip(ws, app_state))]
+async fn websocket_handler(
     ws: WebSocketUpgrade,
     SecureClientIp(ip): SecureClientIp,
     State(app_state): State<AppState>,
 ) -> impl IntoResponse {
-    tracing::debug!("new connection from: {}", ip);
+    tracing::info!("new websocket connection");
     ws.protocols(["json"]).on_upgrade(move |socket| {
         handle_socket(socket, ip, app_state.server_list, app_state.server_ip)
     })
 }
 
-#[instrument(level = "debug", name = "socket_handler", skip(socket, server_list))]
+#[instrument(level = "debug", name = "websocket_handler", skip(socket, server_list))]
 async fn handle_socket(
     mut socket: WebSocket,
     ip: IpAddr,
     mut server_list: ServerList,
     server_ip: IpAddr,
 ) {
-    let mut game_id = Uuid::nil();
+    let game_id;
 
-    // loop until the first message is received, which should be the name
-    while let Some(Ok(msg)) = socket.recv().await {
-        tracing::debug!("got msg: {:?}", msg);
-        match msg {
-            Message::Text(txt) => match parse_connect_message(txt, ip, server_ip) {
-                Ok(server) => {
-                    tracing::info!("created new game server: {:?}", server);
-                    game_id = server_list.add(server);
+    // wait for the first message with initial server info
+    match socket.recv().await {
+        Some(result) => match result {
+            Ok(msg) => match msg {
+                Message::Text(txt) => match parse_connect_message(txt, ip, server_ip) {
+                    Ok(server) => {
+                        tracing::info!("created new game server: {:?}", server);
+                        game_id = server_list.add(server);
+                    }
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        tracing::error!("{:?}", e);
+                        return;
+                    }
+                },
+                Message::Close(_) => {
+                    tracing::info!("connection closed while waiting for server info");
+                    return;
                 }
-                Err(e) => {
-                    tracing::error!(e);
+                _ => {
+                    tracing::warn!(
+                        "got invalid message type while waiting for server info: {:?}",
+                        msg
+                    );
+                    return;
                 }
             },
-            Message::Close(_) => {
-                tracing::debug!("connection closed: {}", ip);
+            Err(e) => {
+                tracing::error!("error while waiting for server info: {:?}", e);
                 return;
             }
-            _ => {
-                tracing::warn!("got invalid message type: {:?}", msg)
-            }
+        },
+        None => {
+            tracing::warn!("connection closed unexpectedly while waiting for server info");
+            return;
         }
     }
-    // don't allow the game_id to change after this
-    let game_id = game_id;
     // begin the main loop to update the game server state
     loop {
-        if let Some(msg) = socket.recv().await {
-            if let Ok(msg) = msg {
-                match msg {
-                    Message::Text(t) => {
-                        parse_game_message(&server_list, &game_id, &t);
-                    }
+        if let Some(msg_type) = socket.recv().await {
+            match msg_type {
+                Ok(msg) => match msg {
+                    Message::Text(t) => parse_game_message(&server_list, &game_id, &t),
                     Message::Close(_) => {
-                        tracing::debug!("connection closed: {}", ip);
-                        remove_server(server_list, &game_id);
-                        return;
+                        tracing::debug!("connection closed");
+                        break;
                     }
                     _ => {
                         tracing::warn!("got invalid message type: {:?}", msg)
                     }
+                },
+                Err(e) => {
+                    tracing::error!("error while waiting for game message: {:?}", e);
+                    break;
                 }
-            } else {
-                tracing::debug!("unexpected error: {:?}", msg);
-                remove_server(server_list, &game_id);
-                return;
             }
+        } else {
+            tracing::warn!("connection closed unexpectedly");
+            break;
         }
     }
+    // Make sure server is always removed if the loop finishes
+    remove_server(server_list, &game_id);
 }
 
 fn is_local_ipv4(ip: IpAddr) -> bool {
@@ -253,7 +266,10 @@ fn parse_connect_message(txt: String, ip: IpAddr, server_ip: IpAddr) -> Result<G
             }
         }
     }
-    Err(format!("got unknown JSON data: {:?}", txt))
+    Err(format!(
+        "failed to parse ConnectMessage from JSON data: {:#?}",
+        txt
+    ))
 }
 
 fn parse_game_message(server_list: &ServerList, server_id: &Uuid, msg: &str) {
@@ -267,7 +283,7 @@ fn parse_game_message(server_list: &ServerList, server_id: &Uuid, msg: &str) {
             }
         }
     } else {
-        tracing::error!("got unknown JSON data: {:#?}", msg);
+        tracing::error!("failed to parse GameMessage from JSON data: {:#?}", msg);
     }
 }