diff --git a/tests/common.sh b/tests/common.sh
index fe5227c9..f1529fbb 100755
--- a/tests/common.sh
+++ b/tests/common.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ BLOCK='\033[1;37m'
 PATH=/usr/local/bin:$PATH
 export PATH
 
-log() { >&2 printf "${BLOCK}>>>${END} $1\n"; }
+log() { >&2 printf "$(date -u +"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z") [${CURRENT_STAGE:-undefined}] ${BLOCK}>>>${END} $1\n"; }
 
 info() { log "${BLU}$1${END}"; }
 highlight() { log "${MGT}$1${END}"; }
diff --git a/tests/extra_test_k3s_versions.sh b/tests/extra_test_k3s_versions.sh
index 8b2288dd..149e3c0a 100755
--- a/tests/extra_test_k3s_versions.sh
+++ b/tests/extra_test_k3s_versions.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ source "$CURR_DIR/common.sh"
 
 for version in "${K3S_VERSIONS[@]}"; do
 
+  export CURRENT_STAGE="Suite | k3s-versions | $version"
+
   info "Creating a cluster with k3s version $version ..."
   $EXE cluster create c1 --wait --timeout 60s --image "rancher/k3s:$version" || failed "could not create cluster with k3s version $version"
 
diff --git a/tests/runner.sh b/tests/runner.sh
index fe2a627f..b7a6c8ff 100755
--- a/tests/runner.sh
+++ b/tests/runner.sh
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ CURR_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" >/dev/null 2>&1 && pwd )"
 : "${E2E_EXCLUDE:=""}"
 : "${E2E_EXTRA:=""}"
 
-# shellcheck source=./common.sh
+export CURRENT_STAGE="Runner"
+
+# shellcheck disable=SC1091
 source "$CURR_DIR/common.sh"
 
 #########################################################################################
@@ -16,13 +18,13 @@ source "$CURR_DIR/common.sh"
 
 info "Preparing filesystem and environment..."
 
-mkdir -p $HOME/.kube
+mkdir -p "$HOME"/.kube
 
 echo "Start time inside runner: $(date)"
 
 section "BASIC TESTS"
 
-for i in $CURR_DIR/test_*.sh ; do
+for i in "$CURR_DIR"/test_*.sh ; do
   base=$(basename "$i" .sh)
   skip=false
   included=false
@@ -64,7 +66,7 @@ done
 # Additional (extra) tests
 if [[ -n "$E2E_EXTRA" ]]; then
   section "EXTRA TESTS"
-  for i in $CURR_DIR/extra_test_*.sh ; do
+  for i in "$CURR_DIR"/extra_test_*.sh ; do
     base=$(basename "$i" .sh)
     if [[ $E2E_EXCLUDE =~ (^| )$base($| ) ]]; then
       highlight "***** Skipping $base *****"
diff --git a/tests/test_basic.sh b/tests/test_basic.sh
index a060cd2f..5a09aba7 100755
--- a/tests/test_basic.sh
+++ b/tests/test_basic.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ CURR_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" >/dev/null 2>&1 && pwd )"
 # shellcheck source=./common.sh
 source "$CURR_DIR/common.sh"
 
+export CURRENT_STAGE="Test | basic"
+
 info "Creating two clusters..."
 $EXE cluster create c1 --wait --timeout 60s --api-port 6443 --env 'TEST_VAR=user\@pass\\@server[0]' || failed "could not create cluster c1"
 $EXE cluster create c2 --wait --timeout 60s || failed "could not create cluster c2"
diff --git a/tests/test_config_file.sh b/tests/test_config_file.sh
index 989d8687..268bd4e1 100755
--- a/tests/test_config_file.sh
+++ b/tests/test_config_file.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ if [[ -n "$K3S_IMAGE_TAG" ]]; then
   EXTRA_TITLE="(rancher/k3s:$K3S_IMAGE_TAG)"
 fi
 
+export CURRENT_STAGE="Test | config-file | $K3S_IMAGE_TAG"
+
 
 clustername="ConfigTest"
 
diff --git a/tests/test_full_lifecycle.sh b/tests/test_full_lifecycle.sh
index d4fd8db6..f1002b1d 100755
--- a/tests/test_full_lifecycle.sh
+++ b/tests/test_full_lifecycle.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ if [[ -n "$K3S_IMAGE_TAG" ]]; then
   EXTRA_TITLE="(rancher/k3s:$K3S_IMAGE_TAG)"
 fi
 
+export CURRENT_STAGE="Test | lifecycle | $K3S_IMAGE_TAG"
+
 
 clustername="lifecycletest"
 
diff --git a/tests/test_multi_master.sh b/tests/test_multi_master.sh
index e0ce4d90..e11444b6 100755
--- a/tests/test_multi_master.sh
+++ b/tests/test_multi_master.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ if [[ -n "$K3S_IMAGE_TAG" ]]; then
   EXTRA_TITLE="(rancher/k3s:$K3S_IMAGE_TAG)"
 fi
 
+export CURRENT_STAGE="Test | multi-server | $K3S_IMAGE_TAG"
+
 info "Creating cluster multiserver $EXTRA_TITLE ..."
 $EXE cluster create "multiserver" --servers 3 --api-port 6443 --wait --timeout 360s $EXTRA_FLAG || failed "could not create cluster multiserver $EXTRA_TITLE"
 info "Checking that we have access to the cluster..."
diff --git a/tests/test_multi_master_start_stop.sh b/tests/test_multi_master_start_stop.sh
index 2ebcb930..f1fab70d 100755
--- a/tests/test_multi_master_start_stop.sh
+++ b/tests/test_multi_master_start_stop.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ if [[ -n "$K3S_IMAGE_TAG" ]]; then
   EXTRA_TITLE="(rancher/k3s:$K3S_IMAGE_TAG)"
 fi
 
+export CURRENT_STAGE="Test | multi-server-start-stop | $K3S_IMAGE_TAG"
+
 info "Creating cluster multiserver $EXTRA_TITLE ..."
 $EXE cluster create "multiserver" --servers 3 --api-port 6443 --wait --timeout 360s $EXTRA_FLAG || failed "could not create cluster multiserver $EXTRA_TITLE"
 info "Checking that we have access to the cluster..."
@@ -31,8 +33,8 @@ $EXE cluster stop "multiserver" || failed "failed to stop cluster"
 info "Waiting for a bit..."
 sleep 5
 
-info "Restarting cluster..."
-$EXE cluster start multiserver || failed "failed to restart cluster"
+info "Restarting cluster (time: $(date -u +"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z"))..."
+$EXE cluster start multiserver --timeout 180s || failed "failed to restart cluster (timeout 180s)"
 
 info "Sleeping for 5 seconds to give the cluster enough time to get ready..."
 sleep 5
diff --git a/tests/test_registry.sh b/tests/test_registry.sh
index f323d6db..f444f750 100755
--- a/tests/test_registry.sh
+++ b/tests/test_registry.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ if [[ -n "$K3S_IMAGE_TAG" ]]; then
   EXTRA_TITLE="(rancher/k3s:$K3S_IMAGE_TAG)"
 fi
 
+export CURRENT_STAGE="Test | registry | $K3S_IMAGE_TAG"
+
 
 clustername="registrytest"