diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/swarm_status.rs b/hive-c0re/src/swarm_status.rs
index a32b31fb..822b8564 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/swarm_status.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/swarm_status.rs
@@ -73,10 +73,18 @@ pub fn spawn(mut shutdown: tokio::sync::watch::Receiver<bool>) {
             // A one-shot startup step with no later retry to clear it —
             // exactly what `set_boot_warning` is for. The fix is a
             // redeploy, which restarts this process anyway.
+            //
+            // `chain`, not `{:#}`: this is the queue client's own error
+            // type, whose Display ignores the alternate flag, so `{:#}`
+            // would show only "swarm queue is half-configured" and drop
+            // which variables are missing.
             crate::warnings::set_boot_warning(
                 "swarm_status_config",
                 "warn",
-                format!("swarm status publishing is off: {e:#}"),
+                format!(
+                    "swarm status publishing is off: {}",
+                    swarm_queue_client::chain(&e)
+                ),
             );
             return;
         }
@@ -100,10 +108,16 @@ pub fn spawn(mut shutdown: tokio::sync::watch::Receiver<bool>) {
         let client = match swarm_queue_client::connect(cfg).await {
             Ok(client) => client,
             Err(e) => {
+                // `chain` for the same reason as above: without it this
+                // banner reads "connecting to the swarm queue at <url>"
+                // and drops the nats error that says why.
                 crate::warnings::set_boot_warning(
                     "swarm_status_config",
                     "warn",
-                    format!("swarm status publishing is off: {e:#}"),
+                    format!(
+                        "swarm status publishing is off: {}",
+                        swarm_queue_client::chain(&e)
+                    ),
                 );
                 return;
             }