diff --git a/rust/ares/src/interpreter.rs b/rust/ares/src/interpreter.rs
index 250aa96..c250d88 100644
--- a/rust/ares/src/interpreter.rs
+++ b/rust/ares/src/interpreter.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use crate::assert_acyclic;
 use crate::assert_no_forwarding_pointers;
 use crate::assert_no_junior_pointers;
+use crate::flog;
 use crate::guard::call_with_guard;
 use crate::hamt::Hamt;
 use crate::jets::cold;
@@ -390,7 +391,7 @@ pub fn interpret(context: &mut Context, mut subject: Noun, formula: Noun) -> Res
         *(context.stack.push()) = NockWork::Done;
     };
 
-    // DO NOT REMOVE THIS ASSERTION
+    // DO NOT REMOVE THIS COMMENT
     //
     // If you need to allocate for debugging, wrap the debugging code in
     //
@@ -1339,8 +1340,11 @@ unsafe fn write_trace(context: &mut Context) {
         // Abort writing to trace file if we encountered an error. This should
         // result in a well-formed partial trace file.
         if let Err(_e) = write_nock_trace(&mut context.stack, info, trace_stack) {
-            //  XX: need NockStack allocated string interpolation
-            // eprintln!("\rserf: error writing nock trace to file: {:?}", e);
+            flog!(
+                context,
+                "\rserf: error writing nock trace to file: {:?}",
+                _e
+            );
             context.trace_info = None;
         }
     }
@@ -1387,7 +1391,7 @@ mod hint {
                     // XX: what is the head here?
                     let jet_name = jet_formula.tail();
 
-                    if let Some(jet) = jets::get_jet(jet_name) {
+                    if let Some(jet) = jets::get_jet(context, jet_name) {
                         match jet(context, subject) {
                             Ok(mut jet_res) => {
                                 //  XX: simplify this by moving jet test mode into the 11 code in interpret, or into its own function?
diff --git a/rust/ares/src/jets.rs b/rust/ares/src/jets.rs
index 9d1a97d..f9ebe3c 100644
--- a/rust/ares/src/jets.rs
+++ b/rust/ares/src/jets.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ pub mod serial;
 pub mod sort;
 pub mod tree;
 
+use crate::flog;
 use crate::interpreter::{Context, Error, Mote};
 use crate::jets::bits::*;
 use crate::jets::cold::Cold;
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ impl From<JetErr> for Error {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn get_jet(jet_name: Noun) -> Option<Jet> {
+pub fn get_jet(context: &mut Context, jet_name: Noun) -> Option<Jet> {
     match jet_name.as_direct().ok()?.data() {
         tas!(b"add") => Some(jet_add),
         tas!(b"dec") => Some(jet_dec),
@@ -166,8 +167,7 @@ pub fn get_jet(jet_name: Noun) -> Option<Jet> {
         tas!(b"sivc_de") => Some(jet_sivc_de),
         //
         _ => {
-            //  XX: need NockStack allocated string interpolation
-            // eprintln!("Unknown jet: {:?}", jet_name);
+            flog!(context, "unknown jet: {:?}", jet_name);
             None
         }
     }
diff --git a/rust/ares/src/serf.rs b/rust/ares/src/serf.rs
index 1f4aecc..9a94596 100644
--- a/rust/ares/src/serf.rs
+++ b/rust/ares/src/serf.rs
@@ -332,6 +332,8 @@ pub fn serf(constant_hot_state: &[HotEntry]) -> io::Result<()> {
     if let Some(ref mut info) = trace_info.as_mut() {
         if let Err(_e) = write_metadata(info) {
             //  XX: need NockStack allocated string interpolation
+            //  XX: chicken/egg problem with flog bc it requires context
+            //      before we've initialized it, and context needs trace_info
             // eprintln!("\rError initializing trace file: {:?}", e);
             trace_info = None;
         }
@@ -411,7 +413,7 @@ fn peek(context: &mut Context, ovo: Noun) -> Noun {
         let trace_name = "peek";
         let start = Instant::now();
         let slam_res = slam(context, PEEK_AXIS, ovo);
-        write_serf_trace_safe(&mut context.nock_context.trace_info, trace_name, start);
+        write_serf_trace_safe(&mut context.nock_context, trace_name, start);
 
         slam_res.expect("peek error handling unimplemented")
     } else {
@@ -436,7 +438,7 @@ fn soft(context: &mut Context, ovo: Noun, trace_name: Option<String>) -> Result<
         let start = Instant::now();
         let slam_res = slam(context, POKE_AXIS, ovo);
         write_serf_trace_safe(
-            &mut context.nock_context.trace_info,
+            &mut context.nock_context,
             trace_name.as_ref().unwrap(),
             start,
         );
@@ -467,7 +469,7 @@ fn play_life(context: &mut Context, eve: Noun) {
         let trace_name = "boot";
         let start = Instant::now();
         let boot_res = interpret(&mut context.nock_context, eve, lyf);
-        write_serf_trace_safe(&mut context.nock_context.trace_info, trace_name, start);
+        write_serf_trace_safe(&mut context.nock_context, trace_name, start);
 
         boot_res
     } else {
diff --git a/rust/ares/src/trace.rs b/rust/ares/src/trace.rs
index 3a4fe04..50bc013 100644
--- a/rust/ares/src/trace.rs
+++ b/rust/ares/src/trace.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use crate::flog;
+use crate::interpreter::Context;
 use crate::jets::bits::util::rap;
 use crate::jets::form::util::scow;
 use crate::mem::NockStack;
@@ -97,11 +99,14 @@ pub fn write_metadata(info: &mut TraceInfo) -> Result<(), Error> {
 /// Abort writing to trace file if an error is encountered.
 ///
 /// This should result in a well-formed partial trace file.
-pub fn write_serf_trace_safe(info: &mut Option<TraceInfo>, name: &str, start: Instant) {
-    if let Err(_e) = write_serf_trace(info.as_mut().unwrap(), name, start) {
-        //  XX: need NockStack allocated string interpolation
-        // eprintln!("\rserf: error writing event trace to file: {:?}", e);
-        *info = None;
+pub fn write_serf_trace_safe(context: &mut Context, name: &str, start: Instant) {
+    if let Err(e) = write_serf_trace(context.trace_info.as_mut().unwrap(), name, start) {
+        flog!(
+            context,
+            "\rserf: error writing event trace to file: {:?}",
+            e
+        );
+        *(&mut context.trace_info) = None;
     }
 }