diff --git a/cmd/storage/storage.go b/cmd/storage/storage.go
index 8efef688..4da3d9d0 100644
--- a/cmd/storage/storage.go
+++ b/cmd/storage/storage.go
@@ -10,11 +10,23 @@ import (
 	"github.com/golang/protobuf/jsonpb"
 	cmdutil "github.com/ohsu-comp-bio/funnel/cmd/util"
 	"github.com/ohsu-comp-bio/funnel/config"
+	"github.com/ohsu-comp-bio/funnel/logger"
 	"github.com/ohsu-comp-bio/funnel/storage"
 	"github.com/ohsu-comp-bio/funnel/tes"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
+var log = logger.NewLogger("storage", logger.DefaultConfig())
+
+func newStorage(conf config.Config) (storage.Storage, error) {
+	store, err := storage.NewMux(conf)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	store.AttachLogger(log)
+	return store, nil
+}
+
 // NewCommand returns the "storage" subcommands.
 func NewCommand() *cobra.Command {
 
@@ -46,7 +58,7 @@ func NewCommand() *cobra.Command {
 				return cmd.Usage()
 			}
 
-			store, err := storage.NewMux(conf)
+			store, err := newStorage(conf)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("creating storage clients: %s", err)
 			}
@@ -73,7 +85,7 @@ func NewCommand() *cobra.Command {
 				return cmd.Usage()
 			}
 
-			store, err := storage.NewMux(conf)
+			store, err := newStorage(conf)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("creating storage clients: %s", err)
 			}
@@ -131,7 +143,7 @@ func NewCommand() *cobra.Command {
 				return cmd.Usage()
 			}
 
-			store, err := storage.NewMux(conf)
+			store, err := newStorage(conf)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("creating storage clients: %s", err)
 			}
diff --git a/cmd/worker/run.go b/cmd/worker/run.go
index 67ffb738..44ec9369 100644
--- a/cmd/worker/run.go
+++ b/cmd/worker/run.go
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ func NewWorker(ctx context.Context, conf config.Config, log *logger.Logger) (*wo
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to instantiate Storage backend: %v", err)
 	}
+	store.AttachLogger(log)
 
 	w := &worker.DefaultWorker{
 		Conf:        conf.Worker,
diff --git a/config/default.go b/config/default.go
index de69aa65..d3514e98 100644
--- a/config/default.go
+++ b/config/default.go
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func DefaultConfig() Config {
 			},
 		},
 		Swift: SwiftStorage{
-			MaxRetries:     3,
+			MaxRetries:     20,
 			ChunkSizeBytes: int64(500 * units.MB),
 		},
 	}
diff --git a/storage/mux.go b/storage/mux.go
index 3f5c4c47..b7485706 100644
--- a/storage/mux.go
+++ b/storage/mux.go
@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ohsu-comp-bio/funnel/config"
+	"github.com/ohsu-comp-bio/funnel/logger"
 )
 
 // operation codes help multiplex storage operations across multiple backends.
@@ -167,6 +169,18 @@ func (mux *Mux) UnsupportedOperations(url string) UnsupportedOperations {
 	return unsupported
 }
 
+// AttachLogger will log information (such as retry warnings)
+// to the given logger.
+func (mux *Mux) AttachLogger(log *logger.Logger) {
+	for _, b := range mux.Backends {
+		if r, ok := b.(*Retrier); ok {
+			r.Retrier.Notify = func(err error, sleep time.Duration) {
+				log.Warn("Retrying", "error", err, "sleep", sleep)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func (mux *Mux) findBackend(url string, op operation) (Storage, error) {
 	var found = 0
 	var useBackend Storage
diff --git a/storage/swift.go b/storage/swift.go
index 46030121..bd6ae8f3 100644
--- a/storage/swift.go
+++ b/storage/swift.go
@@ -67,26 +67,34 @@ func NewSwiftRetrier(conf config.SwiftStorage) (*Retrier, error) {
 		Backend: b,
 		Retrier: &util.Retrier{
 			MaxTries:            conf.MaxRetries,
-			InitialInterval:     time.Second * 5,
-			MaxInterval:         time.Minute * 5,
+			InitialInterval:     500 * time.Millisecond,
+			MaxInterval:         5 * time.Minute,
 			Multiplier:          2.0,
 			RandomizationFactor: 0.5,
 			MaxElapsedTime:      0,
-			ShouldRetry: func(err error) bool {
-				// Retry on errors that swift names specifically.
-				if err == swift.ObjectCorrupted || err == swift.TimeoutError {
-					return true
-				}
-				// Retry on service unavailable.
-				if se, ok := err.(*swift.Error); ok {
-					return se.StatusCode == http.StatusServiceUnavailable
-				}
-				return false
-			},
+			ShouldRetry:         shouldRetry,
 		},
 	}, nil
 }
 
+func shouldRetry(err error) bool {
+	serr, ok := err.(*swiftError)
+	if !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+	err = serr.err
+
+	// Retry on errors that swift names specifically.
+	if err == swift.ObjectCorrupted || err == swift.TimeoutError {
+		return true
+	}
+	// Retry on service unavailable.
+	if se, ok := err.(*swift.Error); ok {
+		return se.StatusCode == http.StatusServiceUnavailable
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 // Stat returns metadata about the given url, such as checksum.
 func (sw *Swift) Stat(ctx context.Context, url string) (*Object, error) {
 	u, err := sw.parse(url)
@@ -96,7 +104,7 @@ func (sw *Swift) Stat(ctx context.Context, url string) (*Object, error) {
 
 	info, _, err := sw.conn.Object(u.bucket, u.path)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("getting object info: %s", err)
+		return nil, &swiftError{"getting object info", url, err}
 	}
 	return &Object{
 		URL:          url,
@@ -118,7 +126,7 @@ func (sw *Swift) List(ctx context.Context, url string) ([]*Object, error) {
 		Prefix: u.path,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("listing objects by prefix: %s", err)
+		return nil, &swiftError{"listing objects by prefix", url, err}
 	}
 
 	var objects []*Object
@@ -135,7 +143,7 @@ func (sw *Swift) List(ctx context.Context, url string) ([]*Object, error) {
 }
 
 // Get copies an object from storage to the host path.
-func (sw *Swift) Get(ctx context.Context, url, path string) (obj *Object, err error) {
+func (sw *Swift) Get(ctx context.Context, url, path string) (*Object, error) {
 	u, err := sw.parse(url)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -144,41 +152,33 @@ func (sw *Swift) Get(ctx context.Context, url, path string) (obj *Object, err er
 	var checkHash = true
 	var headers swift.Headers
 
-	obj, err = sw.Stat(ctx, url)
+	obj, err := sw.Stat(ctx, url)
 	if err != nil {
-		return
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	f, _, err := sw.conn.ObjectOpen(u.bucket, u.path, checkHash, headers)
 	if err != nil {
-		err = fmt.Errorf("initiating download: %s", err)
-		return
+		return nil, &swiftError{"initiating download", url, err}
 	}
-	defer func() {
-		cerr := f.Close()
-		if cerr != nil {
-			err = fmt.Errorf("closing file %v; %v", err, cerr)
-		}
-	}()
+	defer f.Close()
 
 	dest, err := os.Create(path)
 	if err != nil {
-		err = fmt.Errorf("creating file: %s", err)
+		return nil, &swiftError{"creating file", url, err}
 	}
-	defer func() {
-		cerr := dest.Close()
-		if cerr != nil {
-			err = fmt.Errorf("%v; %v", err, cerr)
-		}
-	}()
-
-	_, err = io.Copy(dest, fsutil.Reader(ctx, f))
-	if err != nil {
-		err = fmt.Errorf("copying file: %s", err)
-		return
+
+	_, copyErr := io.Copy(dest, fsutil.Reader(ctx, f))
+	closeErr := dest.Close()
+
+	if copyErr != nil {
+		return nil, &swiftError{"copying file", url, closeErr}
+	}
+	if closeErr != nil {
+		return nil, &swiftError{"closing file", url, closeErr}
 	}
 
-	return
+	return obj, nil
 }
 
 // Put copies an object (file) from the host path to storage.
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ func (sw *Swift) Put(ctx context.Context, url, path string) (*Object, error) {
 
 	reader, err := os.Open(path)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("opening host file %q: %s", path, err)
+		return nil, &swiftError{"opening host file", url, err}
 	}
 	defer reader.Close()
 
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ func (sw *Swift) Put(ctx context.Context, url, path string) (*Object, error) {
 	}
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("creating object: %s", err)
+		return nil, &swiftError{"creating object", url, err}
 	}
 
 	_, copyErr := io.Copy(writer, fsutil.Reader(ctx, reader))
@@ -225,10 +225,10 @@ func (sw *Swift) Put(ctx context.Context, url, path string) (*Object, error) {
 	closeErr := writer.Close()
 
 	if copyErr != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("copying file: %s", copyErr)
+		return nil, &swiftError{"copying file", url, closeErr}
 	}
 	if closeErr != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("closing file: %s", closeErr)
+		return nil, &swiftError{"closing file", url, closeErr}
 	}
 
 	return sw.Stat(ctx, url)
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ func (sw *Swift) UnsupportedOperations(url string) UnsupportedOperations {
 	}
 	_, _, err = sw.conn.Container(u.bucket)
 	if err != nil {
-		return AllUnsupported(fmt.Errorf("swift: failed to find bucket: %s. error: %v", u.bucket, err))
+		return AllUnsupported(&swiftError{"looking for bucket", url, err})
 	}
 	return AllSupported()
 }
@@ -274,3 +274,12 @@ func (sw *Swift) parse(rawurl string) (*urlparts, error) {
 	}
 	return url, nil
 }
+
+type swiftError struct {
+	msg, url string
+	err      error
+}
+
+func (s *swiftError) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("swift: %s for URL %q: %s", s.msg, s.url, s.err)
+}
diff --git a/util/retry.go b/util/retry.go
index 6850273b..86a1bcf7 100644
--- a/util/retry.go
+++ b/util/retry.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ type Retrier struct {
 	MaxElapsedTime      time.Duration
 	MaxTries            int
 	ShouldRetry         func(err error) bool
+	Notify              func(err error, d time.Duration)
 	backoff             backoff.BackOff
 }
 
@@ -36,7 +37,13 @@ func NewRetrier() *Retrier {
 // Retry the function f until it does not return error or BackOff stops.
 func (r *Retrier) Retry(ctx context.Context, f func() error) error {
 	b := backoff.WithContext(r.withTries(), ctx)
-	return backoff.Retry(func() error { return r.checkErr(f()) }, b)
+	return backoff.RetryNotify(func() error { return r.checkErr(f()) }, b, r.notify)
+}
+
+func (r *Retrier) notify(err error, d time.Duration) {
+	if r.Notify != nil {
+		r.Notify(err, d)
+	}
 }
 
 func (r *Retrier) checkErr(err error) error {