diff --git a/storage/tracking.lisp b/storage/tracking.lisp
index 0f50283..db941af 100644
--- a/storage/tracking.lisp
+++ b/storage/tracking.lisp
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
           (update track new-data))))))
 
 (defun query-one (cont crit &key (order-by '(:trackid)))
-  ;(log:info "crit: ~s" crit)
+  (util:lgd crit)
   (let* ((tr (make-item cont))
          (st (storage cont))
          (table (storage:qualified-table-name st (table-name cont)))
@@ -107,14 +107,15 @@
   (let (crit)
     (dolist (spec specs)
       (destructuring-bind (f v &optional op) spec
-        (when v
-          (when (eq f :time-stamp)
-            (setf f :timestamp))
-          (unless op
-            (setf op (if (eq f :timestamp) :>= :=)))
-          (when (symbolp v)
-            (setf v (string-downcase v)))
-          (push (list op f v) crit))))
+        (unless v
+          (setf v ""))
+        (when (eq f :time-stamp)
+          (setf f :timestamp))
+        (unless op
+          (setf op (if (eq f :timestamp) :>= :=)))
+        (when (symbolp v)
+          (setf v (string-downcase v)))
+        (push (list op f v) crit)))
     (if (cdr crit)
       (cons :and crit)
       (car crit))))
diff --git a/test/config-sqlite.lisp b/test/config-sqlite.lisp
index 356d7e1..8ec1726 100644
--- a/test/config-sqlite.lisp
+++ b/test/config-sqlite.lisp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 (config:root :env-keys '(:db-name))
 
 (config:add :logger  :class 'logging:config
-            :loglevel :info
+            :loglevel :debug
             :logfile (t:test-path "scopes-test.log" "log")
             :console nil)
 
diff --git a/test/test-storage.lisp b/test/test-storage.lisp
index a210294..3fec21b 100644
--- a/test/test-storage.lisp
+++ b/test/test-storage.lisp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
                     (:shape :scopes/shape)
                     (:storage :scopes/storage)
                     (:tracking :scopes/storage/tracking) 
+                    (:util :scopes/util)
                     (:t :scopes/testing)
                     (:alx :alexandria))
   (:export #:run #:run-all #:run-postgres #:run-sqlite)
@@ -72,5 +73,6 @@
     (== (shape:head pm2) '(:test :data :field nil))
     (== (getf (shape:data pm2) :info) "test data")
     (setf pm3 (tracking:query-last cont '(:domain :test)))
-    (log:info "pm3: ~s" pm3)
+    (util:lgi pm3)
+    ;(log:info "pm3: ~s" pm3)
     ))
diff --git a/util.lisp b/util.lisp
index 382f3ed..cd935d5 100644
--- a/util.lisp
+++ b/util.lisp
@@ -2,13 +2,22 @@
 
 (defpackage :scopes/util
   (:use :common-lisp)
-  (:export #:rtrim #:loop-plist
+  (:export #:lg #:lgd #:lgi
+           #:rtrim #:loop-plist
            #:flatten-str #:to-keyword #:keyword-to-string #:to-string
            #:absolute-dir #:check-dir #:ensure-dir #:home-path #:path-from-string
            #:relative-path #:runtime-path #:system-path))
 
 (in-package :scopes/util)
 
+(defmacro lg (level &rest vars)
+  (let ((lm (find-symbol (string level) :log))
+        (fm (format nil "~{~a: ~~S ~}" vars)))
+    `(,lm ,fm ,@vars)))
+
+(defmacro lgd (&rest vars) `(lg :debug ,@vars))
+(defmacro lgi (&rest vars) `(lg :info ,@vars))
+
 ;;;; lists and loops
 
 (defun rtrim (lst)