diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e5c1855..084e565 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ yarn add @metalsmith/drafts
 
 ## Usage
 
-Pass the plugin with any options to `Metalsmith.use`.
+Pass the plugin with any options to `metalsmith.use`.
 
 ```js
 import drafts from '@metalsmith/drafts'
@@ -65,6 +65,16 @@ metalsmith.use(
 )
 ```
 
+### Debug
+
+To enable debug logs, set the `DEBUG` environment variable to `@metalsmith/drafts*`:
+
+```js
+metalsmith.env('DEBUG', '@metalsmith/drafts*')
+```
+
+Alternatively you can set `DEBUG` to `@metalsmith/*` to debug all Metalsmith core plugins.
+
 ### CLI Usage
 
 To use this plugin with the Metalsmith CLI, add `@metalsmith/drafts` to the `plugins` key in your `metalsmith.json` file:
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 3db1115..e9bd83c 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -41,13 +41,32 @@ function drafts(options = defaultOptions) {
   }
 
   return function drafts(files, metalsmith, done) {
-    setImmediate(done)
-    if (options.include) return
-    Object.keys(files).forEach((path) => {
-      if (isDraft(files[path].draft, options.default)) {
-        delete files[path]
+    const debug = metalsmith.debug('@metalsmith/drafts')
+    debug('Running with options: %o', options)
+
+    if (options.include) {
+      return done()
+    }
+
+    const asDraft = Object.keys(files).filter((path) => isDraft(files[path].draft, options.default))
+
+    debug('Marked %s file(s) as draft', asDraft.length)
+
+    asDraft.forEach((path) => {
+      try {
+        const success = delete files[path]
+        // delete returns false in CJS non-strict mode
+        /* istanbul ignore if */
+        if (success === false) throw new Error()
+        debug.info('Removed draft "%s"', path)
+        // but throws in CJS strict-mode or ESM mode
+      } catch (err) {
+        /* istanbul ignore next */
+        debug.error('Failed to remove draft at "%s"', path)
       }
     })
+
+    done()
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/test/index.cjs b/test/index.cjs
index 91894ed..5cd2de7 100644
--- a/test/index.cjs
+++ b/test/index.cjs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ const drafts = require('../lib/index.cjs')
 describe('@metalsmith/drafts', function () {
   it('should remove drafts from output (default behavior / ensure backwards-compatibility)', function (done) {
     Metalsmith('test/fixtures/default')
+      .env('DEBUG', process.env.DEBUG)
       .use(drafts())
       .build(function (err) {
         if (err) return done(err)
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ describe('@metalsmith/drafts', function () {
 
   it('should allow a single (bool) param to include/omit drafts from output', function (done) {
     Metalsmith('test/fixtures/bool-param')
+      .env('DEBUG', process.env.DEBUG)
       .use(drafts(true))
       .build(function (err) {
         if (err) return done(err)
@@ -29,6 +31,7 @@ describe('@metalsmith/drafts', function () {
 
   it('should accept numbers & strings as values to ease using env variables', function (done) {
     Metalsmith('test/fixtures/input-types')
+      .env('DEBUG', process.env.DEBUG)
       .use(drafts())
       .build(function (err) {
         if (err) return done(err)
@@ -39,6 +42,7 @@ describe('@metalsmith/drafts', function () {
 
   it('should remove drafts from output (defaults=true)', function (done) {
     Metalsmith('test/fixtures/defaults-to-true')
+      .env('DEBUG', process.env.DEBUG)
       .use(drafts({ default: true }))
       .build(function (err) {
         if (err) return done(err)
@@ -49,6 +53,7 @@ describe('@metalsmith/drafts', function () {
 
   it('should remove drafts from output (defaults=false)', function (done) {
     Metalsmith('test/fixtures/defaults-to-false')
+      .env('DEBUG', process.env.DEBUG)
       .use(drafts({ default: false }))
       .build(function (err) {
         if (err) return done(err)