diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index 272d4d2..00042f1 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ runs:
       run: |
         set -euo pipefail
 
+        echo "DEBUG: Starting directory preparation step"
+        echo "DEBUG: Remote host: ${{ inputs.ssh_host }}"
+        echo "DEBUG: Remote user: ${{ inputs.ssh_user }}"
+        echo "DEBUG: Remote base path: ${{ inputs.remote_base_path }}"
+        echo "DEBUG: Directory prefix: '${{ inputs.dir_prefix }}'"
+
         if [ -z "${{ inputs.directories }}" ]; then
           echo "DEBUG: No directories specified. Skipping directory creation."
           echo "created_paths=" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
@@ -61,6 +67,8 @@ runs:
         REMOTE_BASE="${{ inputs.remote_base_path }}"
 
         while IFS= read -r LOCAL_DIR || [ -n "$LOCAL_DIR" ]; do
+          echo "DEBUG: Processing local directory: '$LOCAL_DIR'"
+
           if [ -d "$LOCAL_DIR" ]; then
             REMOTE_DIR="$REMOTE_BASE"
             if [ -n "$PREFIX" ]; then
@@ -68,14 +76,20 @@ runs:
             fi
             REMOTE_DIR="$REMOTE_DIR/$LOCAL_DIR"
 
-            echo "DEBUG: Creating remote directory $REMOTE_DIR"
+            echo "DEBUG: Ensuring remote directory exists: '$REMOTE_DIR'"
             ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -i "$SSH_KEY_FILE" \
               "${{ inputs.ssh_user }}@${{ inputs.ssh_host }}" \
               "mkdir -p '$REMOTE_DIR' && chmod -R 755 '$REMOTE_DIR'"
+            echo "DEBUG: Remote directory '$REMOTE_DIR' created and permissions set"
 
             echo "DEBUG: Copying contents from local '$LOCAL_DIR' to remote '$REMOTE_DIR'"
-            scp -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -i "$SSH_KEY_FILE" -r "$LOCAL_DIR/"* \
-              ${{ inputs.ssh_user }}@${{ inputs.ssh_host }}:"$REMOTE_DIR/" || echo "DEBUG: No files to copy in '$LOCAL_DIR'"
+            if compgen -G "$LOCAL_DIR/*" > /dev/null; then
+              scp -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -i "$SSH_KEY_FILE" -r "$LOCAL_DIR/"* \
+                ${{ inputs.ssh_user }}@${{ inputs.ssh_host }}:"$REMOTE_DIR/"
+              echo "DEBUG: Files from '$LOCAL_DIR' copied successfully to '$REMOTE_DIR'"
+            else
+              echo "DEBUG: No files found in '$LOCAL_DIR' to copy"
+            fi
 
             CREATED_PATHS+="$REMOTE_DIR"$'\n'
           else
@@ -83,9 +97,15 @@ runs:
           fi
         done <<< "${{ inputs.directories }}"
 
-        echo "DEBUG: Cleaning up temporary SSH key file"
+        echo "DEBUG: Cleaning up temporary SSH key file at $SSH_KEY_FILE"
         rm -f "$SSH_KEY_FILE"
+        echo "DEBUG: Temporary SSH key file removed"
+
+        echo "DEBUG: All directories processed. Created paths:"
+        echo "$CREATED_PATHS"
 
         echo "created_paths<<EOF" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
         echo "$CREATED_PATHS" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
         echo "EOF" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+        echo "DEBUG: Directory preparation step completed successfully"