diff --git a/crates/rust-analyzer/src/bin/main.rs b/crates/rust-analyzer/src/bin/main.rs
index ba4402ade301..97b246a32258 100644
--- a/crates/rust-analyzer/src/bin/main.rs
+++ b/crates/rust-analyzer/src/bin/main.rs
@@ -134,6 +134,10 @@ fn run_server() -> Result<()> {
 
             let discovered = ProjectManifest::discover_all(&workspace_roots);
             log::info!("discovered projects: {:?}", discovered);
+            if discovered.is_empty() {
+                log::error!("failed to find any projects in {:?}", workspace_roots);
+            }
+
             config.linked_projects = discovered.into_iter().map(LinkedProject::from).collect();
         }
 
diff --git a/crates/rust-analyzer/src/config.rs b/crates/rust-analyzer/src/config.rs
index 1a74286f5367..69d05aed5ace 100644
--- a/crates/rust-analyzer/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/rust-analyzer/src/config.rs
@@ -288,7 +288,10 @@ impl Config {
                         let path = self.root_path.join(it);
                         match ProjectManifest::from_manifest_file(path) {
                             Ok(it) => it.into(),
-                            Err(_) => continue,
+                            Err(e) => {
+                                log::error!("failed to load linked project: {}", e);
+                                continue;
+                            }
                         }
                     }
                     ManifestOrProjectJson::ProjectJson(it) => {