diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/canvasconnection.cpp b/utils/fgqcanvas/canvasconnection.cpp
index 9f3ba6bda..f9d8e72f8 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/canvasconnection.cpp
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/canvasconnection.cpp
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ void CanvasConnection::onTextMessageReceived(QString message)
     if (json.isObject()) {
         // process new nodes
         QJsonArray created = json.object().value("created").toArray();
+        qInfo() << "new nodes:" << created.size();
         Q_FOREACH (QJsonValue v, created) {
             QJsonObject newProp = v.toObject();
 
@@ -278,7 +279,10 @@ void CanvasConnection::onTextMessageReceived(QString message)
 
 void CanvasConnection::onWebSocketClosed()
 {
-    qDebug() << "saw web-socket closed";
+    if ((m_status == Connected) || (m_status == Connected)) {
+        qDebug() << "saw web-socket closed";
+    }
+
     m_localPropertyRoot.reset();
     idPropertyDict.clear();
 
diff --git a/utils/fgqcanvas/canvaspainteddisplay.cpp b/utils/fgqcanvas/canvaspainteddisplay.cpp
index b5ea80bb5..e37c2bf54 100644
--- a/utils/fgqcanvas/canvaspainteddisplay.cpp
+++ b/utils/fgqcanvas/canvaspainteddisplay.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ void CanvasPaintedDisplay::setCanvas(CanvasConnection *canvas)
 
 void CanvasPaintedDisplay::onConnectionDestroyed()
 {
-    qDebug() << "saw connection destroyed";
+    qDebug() << Q_FUNC_INFO << "saw connection destroyed";
     m_connection = nullptr;
     delete m_rootElement;
 
@@ -97,8 +97,11 @@ void CanvasPaintedDisplay::onConnectionStatusChanged()
     {
         buildElements();
     } else {
-        qDebug() << Q_FUNC_INFO << "clearing root element";
-        delete m_rootElement;
+        if (m_rootElement) {
+            qDebug() << Q_FUNC_INFO << "clearing root element";
+            delete m_rootElement;
+            m_rootElement.clear();
+        }
         update();
     }
 }