diff --git a/src/decoderbufs.c b/src/decoderbufs.c
index 3482d66..4cf9f5a 100644
--- a/src/decoderbufs.c
+++ b/src/decoderbufs.c
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ void _PG_output_plugin_init(OutputPluginCallbacks *cb) {
 /* initialize this plugin */
 static void pg_decode_startup(LogicalDecodingContext *ctx,
                               OutputPluginOptions *opt, bool is_init) {
-  elog(INFO, "Entering startup callback");
+  elog(DEBUG1, "Entering startup callback");
 
   ListCell *option;
   DecoderData *data;
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ static void pg_decode_startup(LogicalDecodingContext *ctx,
 
 /* cleanup this plugin's resources */
 static void pg_decode_shutdown(LogicalDecodingContext *ctx) {
+  elog(DEBUG1, "Entering decode_shutdown callback");
   DecoderData *data = ctx->output_plugin_private;
 
   /* cleanup our own resources via memory context reset */
@@ -537,32 +538,52 @@ static void set_datum_value(Decoderbufs__DatumMessage *datum_msg, Oid typid,
   }
 }
 
+/* return the number of valid attributes from the tuple */
+static int valid_attributes_count_from(TupleDesc tupdesc) {
+  int natt;
+  int count = 0;
+  for (natt = 0; natt < tupdesc->natts; natt++) {
+      Form_pg_attribute attr = tupdesc->attrs[natt];
+      
+      /* skip dropped columns and system columns */
+      if (attr->attisdropped  || attr->attnum < 0) {       
+        continue;
+      }    
+      count++;      
+  }
+  return count;    
+}
+
 /* convert a PG tuple to an array of DatumMessage(s) */
 static void tuple_to_tuple_msg(Decoderbufs__DatumMessage **tmsg,
                                Relation relation, HeapTuple tuple,
                                TupleDesc tupdesc) {
   int natt;
-
+  elog(DEBUG1, "processing tuple with %d columns", tupdesc->natts);
   /* build column names and values */
   for (natt = 0; natt < tupdesc->natts; natt++) {
     Form_pg_attribute attr;
     Datum origval;
     bool isnull;
+    const char *attrName;
 
     attr = tupdesc->attrs[natt];
-
+    Decoderbufs__DatumMessage datum_msg = DECODERBUFS__DATUM_MESSAGE__INIT;
+    
     /* skip dropped columns and system columns */
     if (attr->attisdropped || attr->attnum < 0) {
+      elog(DEBUG1, "skipping column %d because %s", natt + 1, attr->attisdropped ? "it's a dropped column" : "it's a system column");
       continue;
-    }
+    }    
 
-    Decoderbufs__DatumMessage datum_msg = DECODERBUFS__DATUM_MESSAGE__INIT;
+    attrName = quote_identifier(NameStr(attr->attname));     
+    elog(DEBUG1, "processing column %d with name %s", natt + 1, attrName);    
 
     /* set the column name */
-    datum_msg.column_name = quote_identifier(NameStr(attr->attname));
-
+    datum_msg.column_name = attrName;
+    
     /* set datum from tuple */
-    origval = fastgetattr(tuple, natt + 1, tupdesc, &isnull);
+    origval = heap_getattr(tuple, natt + 1, tupdesc, &isnull);
 
     /* get output function */
     datum_msg.column_type = attr->atttypid;
@@ -582,6 +603,8 @@ static void tuple_to_tuple_msg(Decoderbufs__DatumMessage **tmsg,
         Datum val = PointerGetDatum(PG_DETOAST_DATUM(origval));
         set_datum_value(&datum_msg, attr->atttypid, typoutput, val);
       }
+    } else {
+      elog(DEBUG1, "column %s is null, ignoring value", attrName);  
     }
 
     tmsg[natt] = palloc(sizeof(datum_msg));
@@ -592,12 +615,14 @@ static void tuple_to_tuple_msg(Decoderbufs__DatumMessage **tmsg,
 /* callback for individual changed tuples */
 static void pg_decode_change(LogicalDecodingContext *ctx, ReorderBufferTXN *txn,
                              Relation relation, ReorderBufferChange *change) {
+  elog(DEBUG1, "Entering decode_change  callback");
   DecoderData *data;
   MemoryContext old;
 
   Form_pg_class class_form;
   char replident = relation->rd_rel->relreplident;
   bool is_rel_non_selective;
+  const char *selectiveInfo = is_rel_non_selective ? "non selective" : "selective";
   Decoderbufs__RowMessage rmsg = DECODERBUFS__ROW_MESSAGE__INIT;
   class_form = RelationGetForm(relation);
 
@@ -616,18 +641,22 @@ static void pg_decode_change(LogicalDecodingContext *ctx, ReorderBufferTXN *txn,
   rmsg.has_transaction_id = true;
   rmsg.commit_time = TIMESTAMPTZ_TO_USEC_SINCE_EPOCH(txn->commit_time);
   rmsg.has_commit_time = true;
-  rmsg.table = pstrdup(NameStr(class_form->relname));
-
+  rmsg.table = pstrdup(quote_qualified_identifier(get_namespace_name(get_rel_namespace(RelationGetRelid(relation))), 
+    NameStr(class_form->relname)));
+  
+ 
   /* decode different operation types */
   switch (change->action) {
     case REORDER_BUFFER_CHANGE_INSERT:
+      elog(DEBUG1, "decoding INSERT for table %s; relation is %s", rmsg.table, selectiveInfo);
       rmsg.op = DECODERBUFS__OP__INSERT;
       rmsg.has_op = true;
       if (change->data.tp.newtuple != NULL) {
+        elog(DEBUG1, "decoding new tuple information");
         TupleDesc tupdesc = RelationGetDescr(relation);
-        rmsg.n_new_tuple = tupdesc->natts;
+        rmsg.n_new_tuple = valid_attributes_count_from(tupdesc);
         rmsg.new_tuple =
-            palloc(sizeof(Decoderbufs__DatumMessage*) * tupdesc->natts);
+            palloc(sizeof(Decoderbufs__DatumMessage*) * rmsg.n_new_tuple);
         tuple_to_tuple_msg(rmsg.new_tuple, relation,
                            &change->data.tp.newtuple->tuple, tupdesc);
       }
@@ -635,20 +664,23 @@ static void pg_decode_change(LogicalDecodingContext *ctx, ReorderBufferTXN *txn,
     case REORDER_BUFFER_CHANGE_UPDATE:
       rmsg.op = DECODERBUFS__OP__UPDATE;
       rmsg.has_op = true;
+      elog(DEBUG1, "decoding UPDATE for table %s; relation is %s", rmsg.table, selectiveInfo);
       if (!is_rel_non_selective) {
         if (change->data.tp.oldtuple != NULL) {
+          elog(DEBUG1, "decoding old tuple information");
           TupleDesc tupdesc = RelationGetDescr(relation);
-          rmsg.n_old_tuple = tupdesc->natts;
+          rmsg.n_old_tuple =  valid_attributes_count_from(tupdesc);
           rmsg.old_tuple =
-              palloc(sizeof(Decoderbufs__DatumMessage*) * tupdesc->natts);
+              palloc(sizeof(Decoderbufs__DatumMessage*) * rmsg.n_old_tuple);
           tuple_to_tuple_msg(rmsg.old_tuple, relation,
                              &change->data.tp.oldtuple->tuple, tupdesc);
         }
         if (change->data.tp.newtuple != NULL) {
+          elog(DEBUG1, "decoding new tuple information");
           TupleDesc tupdesc = RelationGetDescr(relation);
-          rmsg.n_new_tuple = tupdesc->natts;
+          rmsg.n_new_tuple = valid_attributes_count_from(tupdesc);
           rmsg.new_tuple =
-              palloc(sizeof(Decoderbufs__DatumMessage*) * tupdesc->natts);
+              palloc(sizeof(Decoderbufs__DatumMessage*) * rmsg.n_new_tuple);
           tuple_to_tuple_msg(rmsg.new_tuple, relation,
                              &change->data.tp.newtuple->tuple, tupdesc);
         }
@@ -657,17 +689,22 @@ static void pg_decode_change(LogicalDecodingContext *ctx, ReorderBufferTXN *txn,
     case REORDER_BUFFER_CHANGE_DELETE:
       rmsg.op = DECODERBUFS__OP__DELETE;
       rmsg.has_op = true;
+      elog(DEBUG1, "decoding DELETE for table %s; relation is %s", rmsg.table, selectiveInfo);
       /* if there was no PK, we only know that a delete happened */
       if (!is_rel_non_selective && change->data.tp.oldtuple != NULL) {
+        elog(DEBUG1, "decoding old tuple information");
         TupleDesc tupdesc = RelationGetDescr(relation);
-        rmsg.n_old_tuple = tupdesc->natts;
+        rmsg.n_old_tuple = valid_attributes_count_from(tupdesc);
         rmsg.old_tuple =
-            palloc(sizeof(Decoderbufs__DatumMessage*) * tupdesc->natts);
+            palloc(sizeof(Decoderbufs__DatumMessage*) *  rmsg.n_old_tuple);
         tuple_to_tuple_msg(rmsg.old_tuple, relation,
                            &change->data.tp.oldtuple->tuple, tupdesc);
+      } else {
+        elog(WARNING, "no information to decode from DELETE because either no PK is present or REPLICA IDENTITY NOTHING or invalid ");
       }
       break;
     default:
+      elog(WARNING, "unknown change action");       
       Assert(0);
       break;
   }