diff --git a/libs/pageserver_api/src/models.rs b/libs/pageserver_api/src/models.rs
index 16545364c1..6735320484 100644
--- a/libs/pageserver_api/src/models.rs
+++ b/libs/pageserver_api/src/models.rs
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ pub struct SafekeepersInfo {
     pub safekeepers: Vec<SafekeeperInfo>,
 }
 
-#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Clone)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct SafekeeperInfo {
     pub id: NodeId,
     pub hostname: String,
diff --git a/storage_controller/src/service.rs b/storage_controller/src/service.rs
index 403ae15b59..ed6643d641 100644
--- a/storage_controller/src/service.rs
+++ b/storage_controller/src/service.rs
@@ -1677,7 +1677,21 @@ impl Service {
             .collect::<anyhow::Result<Vec<_>>>()?;
         let safekeepers: HashMap<NodeId, Safekeeper> =
             safekeepers.into_iter().map(|n| (n.get_id(), n)).collect();
-        tracing::info!("Loaded {} safekeepers from database.", safekeepers.len());
+        let count_policy = |policy| {
+            safekeepers
+                .iter()
+                .filter(|sk| sk.1.scheduling_policy() == policy)
+                .count()
+        };
+        let active_sk_count = count_policy(SkSchedulingPolicy::Active);
+        let activating_sk_count = count_policy(SkSchedulingPolicy::Activating);
+        let pause_sk_count = count_policy(SkSchedulingPolicy::Pause);
+        let decom_sk_count = count_policy(SkSchedulingPolicy::Decomissioned);
+        tracing::info!(
+            "Loaded {} safekeepers from database. Active {active_sk_count}, activating {activating_sk_count}, \
+            paused {pause_sk_count}, decomissioned {decom_sk_count}.",
+            safekeepers.len()
+        );
         metrics::METRICS_REGISTRY
             .metrics_group
             .storage_controller_safekeeper_nodes
@@ -1969,6 +1983,14 @@ impl Service {
             }
         });
 
+        // Check that there is enough safekeepers configured that we can create new timelines
+        let test_sk_res = this.safekeepers_for_new_timeline().await;
+        tracing::info!(
+            timeline_safekeeper_count = config.timeline_safekeeper_count,
+            timelines_onto_safekeepers = config.timelines_onto_safekeepers,
+            "viability test result (test timeline creation on safekeepers): {test_sk_res:?}",
+        );
+
         Ok(this)
     }