diff --git a/devserver/src/main/scala/io/adamnfish/pokerdot/DevServer.scala b/devserver/src/main/scala/io/adamnfish/pokerdot/DevServer.scala
index f12a4b6..73aed29 100644
--- a/devserver/src/main/scala/io/adamnfish/pokerdot/DevServer.scala
+++ b/devserver/src/main/scala/io/adamnfish/pokerdot/DevServer.scala
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ object DevServer extends LazyLogging {
           seed.toLong
       }
       .getOrElse(0L)
-    logger.info(s"[INFO] initial seed: $initialSeed")
+    logger.info(s"initial seed: $initialSeed")
     val rng = new DevRng(initialSeed)
 
     val messagePrinter: Direction => (String, String) => Unit =
       if (args.contains("--debug")) {
-        logger.info("[INFO] debug mode - connection events and messages will be printed")
+        logger.info("debug mode - connection events and messages will be printed")
         logMessage
       } else {
         noOpMessage
@@ -69,23 +69,23 @@ object DevServer extends LazyLogging {
           }
         } match {
           case Exit.Success(operation) =>
-            logger.info(s"[INFO] completed $operation")
+            logger.info(s"completed $operation")
           case Exit.Failure(cause) =>
             cause.failures.foreach { fs =>
-              logger.error(s"[ERROR] error: ${fs.logString}")
+              logger.error(s"error: ${fs.logString}")
               fs.exception.foreach { e =>
-                logger.error(s"[ERROR] exception: ${e.printStackTrace()}")
+                logger.error(s"exception: ${e.printStackTrace()}")
               }
             }
             cause.defects.foreach { err =>
-              logger.error(s"[ERROR] Fatal error: ${err.toString}")
+              logger.error(s"Fatal error: ${err.getMessage}", err)
             }
         }
       }
     })
 
     Runtime.getRuntime.addShutdownHook(new Thread(() => {
-      logger.info("[INFO] Stopping...")
+      logger.info("Stopping...")
       app.stop()
     }))
   }
diff --git a/lambda/src/main/scala/io/adamnfish/pokerdot/AwsMessaging.scala b/lambda/src/main/scala/io/adamnfish/pokerdot/AwsMessaging.scala
index 8514a7f..21a836e 100644
--- a/lambda/src/main/scala/io/adamnfish/pokerdot/AwsMessaging.scala
+++ b/lambda/src/main/scala/io/adamnfish/pokerdot/AwsMessaging.scala
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class AwsMessaging(client: ApiGatewayManagementApiClient) extends Messaging with
   }
 
   private def send(playerAddress: PlayerAddress, message: String): Attempt[Unit] = {
-    logger.debug(s"Message (${playerAddress.address}): $message")
+    logger.debug(s"Message {${playerAddress.address}}: $message")
     val request = PostToConnectionRequest.builder
       .connectionId(playerAddress.address)
       .data(SdkBytes.fromByteArray(message.getBytes("UTF-8")))
diff --git a/lambda/src/main/scala/io/adamnfish/pokerdot/Lambda.scala b/lambda/src/main/scala/io/adamnfish/pokerdot/Lambda.scala
index c280098..4c8b44f 100644
--- a/lambda/src/main/scala/io/adamnfish/pokerdot/Lambda.scala
+++ b/lambda/src/main/scala/io/adamnfish/pokerdot/Lambda.scala
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import scala.util.Properties
 
 class Lambda extends LazyLogging {
   // initialise AWS clients at start time
-  val appContextBuilder: (PlayerAddress, AwsContext) => AppContext = {
+  val appContextBuilder: PlayerAddress => AppContext = {
     (for {
       // AWS ASK configuration
       regionStr <- Properties.envOrNone("REGION")
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class Lambda extends LazyLogging {
         .build()
       db = new DynamoDbDatabase(dynamoDbClient, gamesTableName, playersTableName)
       rng = new RandomRng
-    } yield { (playerAddress: PlayerAddress, awsContext: AwsContext) =>
+    } yield { (playerAddress: PlayerAddress) =>
       val messaging = new AwsMessaging(apiGatewayManagementClient)
       AppContext(playerAddress, db, messaging, Clock, rng)
     }).fold(
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class Lambda extends LazyLogging {
         // ignore this for now
       case "$default" =>
         val playerAddress = PlayerAddress(event.getRequestContext.getConnectionId)
-        val appContext = appContextBuilder(playerAddress, awsContext)
+        val appContext = appContextBuilder(playerAddress)
 
         Unsafe.unsafe { implicit unsafe =>
           Runtime.default.unsafe.run(
@@ -82,16 +82,16 @@ class Lambda extends LazyLogging {
           )
         } match {
           case Exit.Success(operation) =>
-            logger.info(s"[INFO] completed $operation")
+            logger.info(s"completed $operation")
           case Exit.Failure(cause) =>
             cause.failures.foreach { fs =>
-              logger.error(s"[ERROR] error: ${fs.logString}")
+              logger.error(s"error: ${fs.logString}")
               fs.exception.foreach { e =>
-                logger.error(s"[ERROR] exception: ${e.printStackTrace()}")
+                logger.error(s"exception: ${e.printStackTrace()}")
               }
             }
             cause.defects.foreach { err =>
-              logger.error(s"[ERROR] Fatal error: ${err.toString}")
+              logger.error(s"Fatal error: ${err.getMessage}", err)
             }
         }
     }
@@ -103,4 +103,3 @@ class Lambda extends LazyLogging {
     response
   }
 }
-