diff --git a/pkg/rke2/spw.go b/pkg/rke2/spw.go
index 227074008a0..9cff1878173 100644
--- a/pkg/rke2/spw.go
+++ b/pkg/rke2/spw.go
@@ -130,14 +130,18 @@ func checkManifestDeployed(ctx context.Context, cRuntime runtimeapi.RuntimeServi
 
 	// Use kubelet runtime logic to find the latest pod sandbox
 	newSandboxNeeded, _, sandboxID := runtimeutil.PodSandboxChanged(pod, podStatus)
+	logrus.Infof("Checking pod sandbox for %s: newSandboxNeeded=%v sandboxID=%v", pod.Name, newSandboxNeeded, sandboxID)
 
 	// Remove any pod sandboxes that are not the latest
 	var sandboxRemoved bool
 	for _, podSandbox := range resp.Items {
-		if podSandbox.Labels["io.kubernetes.pod.uid"] != string(pod.UID) || (sandboxID != "" && sandboxID != podSandbox.Id) {
+		if podSandbox.Labels["io.kubernetes.pod.uid"] != string(pod.UID) ||
+			(sandboxID != "" && sandboxID != podSandbox.Id) {
 			sandboxRemoved = true
 			if _, err := cRuntime.RemovePodSandbox(ctx, &runtimeapi.RemovePodSandboxRequest{PodSandboxId: podSandbox.Id}); err != nil {
 				logrus.Warnf("Failed to remove old %s pod sandbox: %v", pod.Name, err)
+			} else {
+				logrus.Infof("Removed old %s pod sandbox: %s (%v)", pod.Name, podSandbox.Id, podSandbox.State)
 			}
 		}
 	}