diff --git a/hasktags.cabal b/hasktags.cabal
--- a/hasktags.cabal
+++ b/hasktags.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name: hasktags
-Version: 0.68.3
+Version: 0.68.4
 Copyright: The University Court of the University of Glasgow
 License: BSD3
 License-File: LICENSE
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
       json >= 0.5 && < 0.8,
       interlude,
       HUnit >= 1.2 && < 1.3
-    other-modules: Tags, Hasktags
+    other-modules: Tags, Hasktags, DebugShow
     hs-source-dirs: src
     ghc-options: -Wall
     default-language: Haskell2010
diff --git a/src/DebugShow.hs b/src/DebugShow.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/DebugShow.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE CPP #-}
+module DebugShow (
+trace_
+) where
+
+#if debug
+
+-- enable trace messages to understand why thing get/ get not found
+import Debug.Trace
+trace_ :: (Show a) => String -> a -> ret -> ret
+trace_ msg thing ret = trace ("\nmsg: " ++ msg ++ " " ++ (show thing) ++ "\n") ret
+{-# INLINE trace_ #-}
+
+#else
+
+-- id function - should have no effect
+trace_ :: (Show a) => String -> a -> b -> b
+trace_ _ _ ret = ret
+{-# INLINE trace_ #-}
+
+#endif