diff --git a/src/lavinmq/error.cr b/src/lavinmq/error.cr
index 9b55cb7fb3..b26711f3f9 100644
--- a/src/lavinmq/error.cr
+++ b/src/lavinmq/error.cr
@@ -15,5 +15,8 @@ module LavinMQ
 
     class ExchangeTypeError < Error
     end
+
+    class InvalidDefinitions < Error
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/src/lavinmq/vhost.cr b/src/lavinmq/vhost.cr
index ae7227fd32..ea2cbd81fe 100644
--- a/src/lavinmq/vhost.cr
+++ b/src/lavinmq/vhost.cr
@@ -524,60 +524,76 @@ module LavinMQ
       if io.size.zero?
         load_default_definitions
         compact!
-      else
-        @definitions_lock.synchronize do
-          SchemaVersion.verify(io, :definition)
-          loop do
-            AMQP::Frame.from_io(io, IO::ByteFormat::SystemEndian) do |f|
-              case f
-              when AMQP::Frame::Exchange::Declare
-                exchanges[f.exchange_name] = f
-              when AMQP::Frame::Exchange::Delete
-                exchanges.delete f.exchange_name
-                exchange_bindings.delete f.exchange_name
-                should_compact = true
-              when AMQP::Frame::Exchange::Bind
-                exchange_bindings[f.destination] << f
-              when AMQP::Frame::Exchange::Unbind
-                exchange_bindings[f.destination].reject! do |b|
-                  b.source == f.source &&
-                    b.routing_key == f.routing_key &&
-                    b.arguments == f.arguments
-                end
-                should_compact = true
-              when AMQP::Frame::Queue::Declare
-                queues[f.queue_name] = f
-              when AMQP::Frame::Queue::Delete
-                queues.delete f.queue_name
-                queue_bindings.delete f.queue_name
-                should_compact = true
-              when AMQP::Frame::Queue::Bind
-                queue_bindings[f.queue_name] << f
-              when AMQP::Frame::Queue::Unbind
-                queue_bindings[f.queue_name].reject! do |b|
-                  b.exchange_name == f.exchange_name &&
-                    b.routing_key == f.routing_key &&
-                    b.arguments == f.arguments
-                end
-                should_compact = true
-              else raise "Cannot apply frame #{f.class} in vhost #{@name}"
+        return
+      end
+
+      @log.info { "Loading definitions" }
+      @definitions_lock.synchronize do
+        @log.debug { "Verifying schema" }
+        SchemaVersion.verify(io, :definition)
+        loop do
+          AMQP::Frame.from_io(io, IO::ByteFormat::SystemEndian) do |f|
+            @log.trace { "Reading frame #{f.inspect}" }
+            case f
+            when AMQP::Frame::Exchange::Declare
+              exchanges[f.exchange_name] = f
+            when AMQP::Frame::Exchange::Delete
+              exchanges.delete f.exchange_name
+              exchange_bindings.delete f.exchange_name
+              should_compact = true
+            when AMQP::Frame::Exchange::Bind
+              exchange_bindings[f.destination] << f
+            when AMQP::Frame::Exchange::Unbind
+              exchange_bindings[f.destination].reject! do |b|
+                b.source == f.source &&
+                  b.routing_key == f.routing_key &&
+                  b.arguments == f.arguments
+              end
+              should_compact = true
+            when AMQP::Frame::Queue::Declare
+              queues[f.queue_name] = f
+            when AMQP::Frame::Queue::Delete
+              queues.delete f.queue_name
+              queue_bindings.delete f.queue_name
+              should_compact = true
+            when AMQP::Frame::Queue::Bind
+              queue_bindings[f.queue_name] << f
+            when AMQP::Frame::Queue::Unbind
+              queue_bindings[f.queue_name].reject! do |b|
+                b.exchange_name == f.exchange_name &&
+                  b.routing_key == f.routing_key &&
+                  b.arguments == f.arguments
               end
-            end # Frame.from_io
-          rescue ex : IO::EOFError
-            break
-          end # loop
-        end   # synchronize
-      end     # if
+              should_compact = true
+            else
+              raise "Cannot apply frame #{f.class} in vhost #{@name}"
+            end
+          end # Frame.from_io
+        rescue ex : IO::EOFError
+          break
+        end # loop
+      end   # synchronize
 
       # apply definitions
-      exchanges.each_value { |f| apply f, loading: true }
-      queues.each_value { |f| apply f, loading: true }
-      exchange_bindings.each_value { |fs| fs.each { |f| apply f, loading: true } }
-      queue_bindings.each_value { |fs| fs.each { |f| apply f, loading: true } }
-
+      @log.info { "Applying #{exchanges.size} exchanges" }
+      exchanges.each_value &->self.load_apply(AMQP::Frame)
+      @log.info { "Applying #{queues.size} queues" }
+      queues.each_value &->self.load_apply(AMQP::Frame)
+      @log.info { "Applying #{exchange_bindings.each_value.sum(0, &.size)} exchange bindings" }
+      exchange_bindings.each_value &.each(&->self.load_apply(AMQP::Frame))
+      @log.info { "Applying #{queue_bindings.each_value.sum(0, &.size)} queue bindings" }
+      queue_bindings.each_value &.each(&->self.load_apply(AMQP::Frame))
+
+      @log.info { "Definitions loaded" }
       compact! if should_compact
     end
 
+    protected def load_apply(frame : AMQP::Frame)
+      apply frame, loading: true
+    rescue ex : LavinMQ::Error
+      raise Error::InvalidDefinitions.new("Invalid frame: #{frame.inspect}")
+    end
+
     private def load_default_definitions
       @log.info { "Loading default definitions" }
       @exchanges[""] = DefaultExchange.new(self, "", true, false, false)