diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ec77a98..bf23757 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -292,16 +292,23 @@ database-backup:
 
 database-restore:
 	@mkdir -p ./backup
+	@echo "🔍 Checking dump size..."
+	@ls -lh ./backup/${NAMESPACE}_chevereto.sql.gz
+	@echo "🔍 Preview of dump (first 20 lines after decompression):"
+	@gzip -dc ./backup/${NAMESPACE}_chevereto.sql.gz | head -n 20
+	@echo "🔍 Testing which client is available inside the container..."
+	@docker exec ${CONTAINER_BASENAME}_database sh -c 'command -v mysql || command -v mariadb || echo "no client found"'
+	@echo "🔍 Running restore..."
 	@gzip -dc ./backup/${NAMESPACE}_chevereto.sql.gz | \
 		docker exec -i ${CONTAINER_BASENAME}_database \
-		sh -c 'if command -v mysql >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
-			mysql -u root -ppassword chevereto; \
-		elif command -v mariadb >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
-			mariadb -u root -ppassword chevereto; \
-		else \
-			echo "Neither mysql nor mariadb client found in container" >&2; exit 1; \
-		fi'
-	@echo "🐬 Database restored from ./backup/${NAMESPACE}_chevereto.sql.gz"
+		sh -c 'set -x; \
+			if command -v mysql >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
+				mysql -u root -ppassword chevereto; \
+			elif command -v mariadb >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
+				mariadb -u root -ppassword chevereto; \
+			else \
+				echo "Neither mysql nor mariadb client found in container" >&2; exit 1; \
+			fi'
 
 # nginx-proxy