diff --git a/travis/prepare.sh b/travis/prepare.sh
index c4caffb..671c018 100755
--- a/travis/prepare.sh
+++ b/travis/prepare.sh
@@ -46,11 +46,14 @@ fold_end check.out.dependencies
 # Set up compiler
 # ---------------
 
-fold_start set.up.compiler "Setting up compiler"
+fold_start set.up.epics_build "Setting up EPICS build system"
 
 eval $(grep "EPICS_BASE=" ${CACHEDIR}/RELEASE.local)
+echo "EPICS_BASE=$EPICS_BASE"
+
 
 [ "$EPICS_HOST_ARCH" ] || EPICS_HOST_ARCH=$(sh $EPICS_BASE/startup/EpicsHostArch)
+echo "EPICS_HOST_ARCH=$EPICS_HOST_ARCH"
 
 if echo ${modules_to_compile} | grep -q "$EPICS_BASE"
 then
@@ -146,7 +149,7 @@ EOF
   fi
 
 else
-echo "${ANSI_GREEN}EPICS build system already set up (Base was loaded from cache)${ANSI_RESET}"
+  echo "${ANSI_GREEN}EPICS build system already set up (Base was loaded from cache)${ANSI_RESET}"
 fi
 
 # Download RTEMS cross compiler
@@ -159,19 +162,41 @@ fi
 
 fold_end set.up.compiler
 
+echo "\$ make --version"
+make --version
+
 # Build required dependencies
 # ---------------------------
 
-fold_start build.dependencies "Rebuild missing dependencies"
+fold_start build.dependencies "Build missing/outdated dependencies"
 
 [ "$VV" ] && silent="-s" || silent=
 
+[ -z "$modules_to_compile" ] && echo "${ANSI_GREEN}All dependency modules are up-to-date (nothing to do)${ANSI_RESET}"
+
 for module in ${modules_to_compile}
 do
-  name=$(basename $module)
+  eval name=\${module#${CACHEDIR}/}
   fold_start build.$name "Build $name"
   make -j2 $silent -C $module $EXTRA
   fold_end build.$name
 done
 
 fold_end build.dependencies
+
+echo "${ANSI_BLUE}Dependency module information${ANSI_RESET}"
+
+echo "Module     Tag          Binaries    Commit"
+echo "-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------"
+for mod in base $MODULES
+do
+  mod_uc=$(echo $mod | tr 'a-z' 'A-Z')
+  eval tag=\${${mod_uc}}
+  eval dir=${CACHEDIR}/\${${mod_uc}_DIRNAME}-$tag
+  echo "$modules_to_compile" | grep -q "$dir" && stat="rebuilt" || stat="from cache"
+  commit=$(git -C $dir log -n1 --oneline)
+  printf "%-10s %-12s %-11s %s\n" "$mod" "$tag" "$stat" "$commit"
+done
+
+echo "${ANSI_BLUE}Contents of RELEASE.local${ANSI_RESET}"
+cat ${CACHEDIR}/RELEASE.local
diff --git a/travis/utils.sh b/travis/utils.sh
index 7cd5333..884cf74 100644
--- a/travis/utils.sh
+++ b/travis/utils.sh
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ add_dependency() {
   recursive=$(echo $recursive | tr 'A-Z' 'a-z')
   [ "$recursive" != "0" -a "$recursive" != "no" ] && recurse="--recursive"
 
-  # determine if BASE points to a valid release or branch
-  if ! git ls-remote --quiet --exit-code --refs $repourl "$TAG"
+  # determine if $DEP points to a valid release or branch
+  if ! git ls-remote --quiet --exit-code --refs $repourl "$TAG" > /dev/null 2>&1
   then
     echo "${ANSI_RED}$TAG is neither a tag nor a branch name for $DEP ($repourl)${ANSI_RESET}"
     [ "$UTILS_UNITTEST" ] || exit 1
@@ -132,7 +132,12 @@ add_dependency() {
   then
     [ -e $CACHEDIR/$dirname-$TAG/built ] && BUILT=$(cat $CACHEDIR/$dirname-$TAG/built) || BUILT="never"
     HEAD=$(cd "$CACHEDIR/$dirname-$TAG" && git log -n1 --pretty=format:%H)
-    [ "$HEAD" != "$BUILT" ] && rm -fr $CACHEDIR/$dirname-$TAG
+    if [ "$HEAD" != "$BUILT" ]
+    then
+      rm -fr $CACHEDIR/$dirname-$TAG
+    else
+      echo "Found $TAG of dependency $DEP in $CACHEDIR/$dirname-$TAG"
+    fi
   fi
 
   if [ ! -e $CACHEDIR/$dirname-$TAG ]
@@ -150,6 +155,7 @@ add_dependency() {
       deptharg="--depth $depth"
       ;;
     esac
+    echo "Cloning $TAG of dependency $DEP into $CACHEDIR/$dirname-$TAG"
     git clone --quiet $deptharg $recurse --branch "$TAG" $repourl $dirname-$TAG
     ( cd $dirname-$TAG && git log -n1 )
     modules_to_compile="${modules_to_compile} $CACHEDIR/$dirname-$TAG"
@@ -159,6 +165,7 @@ add_dependency() {
     then
       if [ -x "$curdir/$hook" ]
       then
+        echo "Running hook $hook in $CACHEDIR/$dirname-$TAG"
         ( cd $CACHEDIR/$dirname-$TAG; "$curdir/$hook" )
       else
         echo "${ANSI_RED}Hook script $hook is not executable or does not exist.${ANSI_RESET}"