diff --git a/features/support/data.rb b/features/support/data.rb
index bf916b4fe..8dd6aab69 100644
--- a/features/support/data.rb
+++ b/features/support/data.rb
@@ -177,7 +177,10 @@ def convert_osm_to_pbf
     log_preprocess_info
     log "== Converting #{@osm_file}.osm to protobuffer format...", :preprocess
     unless system "osmosis --read-xml #{@osm_file}.osm --write-pbf #{@osm_file}.osm.pbf omitmetadata=true 1>>#{PREPROCESS_LOG_FILE} 2>>#{PREPROCESS_LOG_FILE}"
-      raise "Failed to convert to proto buffer format. Please see #{hash}.log for more info." 
+      log_path = 'preprocessing.log'
+      log_lines = 30
+      tail = log_tail log_path,log_lines
+      raise OSRMError.new 'osmosis', $?.exitstatus, "*** Failed to convert .oms to .pbf. osmosis exited with code #{$?.exitstatus}. Last #{log_lines} lines from #{log_path}:\n#{tail}\n" 
     end
     log '', :preprocess
   end
diff --git a/features/support/launch.rb b/features/support/launch.rb
index 596822f28..0b07b87e4 100644
--- a/features/support/launch.rb
+++ b/features/support/launch.rb
@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@ class OSRMLauncher
       wait_for_connection
     end
   rescue Timeout::Error
-    raise "*** Launching osrm-routed timed out."
+    log_path = 'osrm-routed.log'
+    log_lines = 3
+    tail = log_tail log_path,log_lines
+    raise OSRMError.new 'osrm-routed', nil, "*** Launching osrm-routed timed out. Last #{log_lines} lines from #{log_path}:\n#{tail}\n" 
   end
   
   def shutdown
@@ -33,7 +36,10 @@ class OSRMLauncher
     end
   rescue Timeout::Error
     kill
-    raise "*** Shutting down osrm-routed timed out."
+    log_path = 'osrm-routed.log'
+    log_lines = 3
+    tail = log_tail log_path,log_lines
+    raise OSRMError.new 'osrm-routed', nil, "*** Shutting down osrm-routed timed out. Last #{log_lines} lines from #{log_path}:\n#{tail}\n" 
   end
   
   
diff --git a/features/support/route.rb b/features/support/route.rb
index 856282a44..8be4e9219 100644
--- a/features/support/route.rb
+++ b/features/support/route.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ DESTINATION_REACHED = 15      #OSRM instruction code
 
 def request_path path
   @query = path
-  log path
   uri = URI.parse "#{HOST}/#{path}"
   Timeout.timeout(REQUEST_TIMEOUT) do
     Net::HTTP.get_response uri