diff --git a/lib/get-git-auth-url.js b/lib/get-git-auth-url.js
index fe251d90b7..2ebb84a10b 100644
--- a/lib/get-git-auth-url.js
+++ b/lib/get-git-auth-url.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ const {parse, format} = require('url'); // eslint-disable-line node/no-deprecate
 const {isNil} = require('lodash');
 const hostedGitInfo = require('hosted-git-info');
 const {verifyAuth} = require('./git');
+const debug = require('debug')('semantic-release:get-git-auth-url');
 
 /**
  * Determine the the git repository URL to use to push, either:
@@ -42,8 +43,11 @@ module.exports = async ({cwd, env, branch, options: {repositoryUrl}}) => {
 
   // Test if push is allowed without transforming the URL (e.g. is ssh keys are set up)
   try {
+    debug('Verifying ssh auth by attempting to push to  %s', repositoryUrl);
     await verifyAuth(repositoryUrl, branch.name, {cwd, env});
   } catch (_) {
+    debug('SSH key auth failed, falling back to https.');
+
     const envVar = Object.keys(GIT_TOKENS).find((envVar) => !isNil(env[envVar]));
     const gitCredentials = `${GIT_TOKENS[envVar] || ''}${env[envVar] || ''}`;