diff --git a/chip/lm4/keyboard_scan.c b/chip/lm4/keyboard_scan.c
index 3729a304f5..2966713768 100644
--- a/chip/lm4/keyboard_scan.c
+++ b/chip/lm4/keyboard_scan.c
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ static uint32_t clear_matrix_interrupt_status(void) {
 
 static void wait_for_interrupt(void)
 {
-	uart_printf("[kbscan %s()]\n", __func__);
+	uart_puts("[KB wait]\n");
 
 	/* Assert all outputs would trigger un-wanted interrupts.
 	 * Clear them before enable interrupt. */
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ static void wait_for_interrupt(void)
 
 static void enter_polling_mode(void)
 {
-	uart_printf("[kbscan %s()]\n", __func__);
+	uart_puts("[KB poll]\n");
 	LM4_GPIO_IM(KB_SCAN_ROW_GPIO) = 0;  /* 0: disable interrupt */
 	select_column(COLUMN_TRI_STATE_ALL);
 }
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ static void print_raw_state(const char *msg)
 {
 	int c;
 
-	uart_printf("[%s:", msg);
+	uart_printf("[KB %s:", msg);
 	for (c = 0; c < KB_COLS; c++) {
 		if (raw_state[c])
 			uart_printf(" %02x", raw_state[c]);
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ static int check_keys_changed(void)
 	}
 
 	if (change)
-		print_raw_state("KB raw state");
+		print_raw_state("raw state");
 
 out:
 	/* Count number of key pressed */
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ void keyboard_scan_task(void)
 {
 	int key_press_timer = 0;
 
-	print_raw_state("KB init state");
+	print_raw_state("init state");
 	if (recovery_key_pressed)
 		uart_puts("[KB recovery key pressed at init!]\n");
 
diff --git a/chip/lm4/watchdog.c b/chip/lm4/watchdog.c
index ccc6e63b72..5a3080dcdb 100644
--- a/chip/lm4/watchdog.c
+++ b/chip/lm4/watchdog.c
@@ -141,6 +141,11 @@ int watchdog_init(int period_ms)
 /* Low priority task to reload the watchdog */
 void watchdog_task(void)
 {
+	/* Print when the watchdog task starts.  This is the lowest priority
+	 * task, so this only starts once all other tasks have gotten a chance
+	 * to do their task inits and have gone to sleep. */
+	uart_printf("[watchdog task started at %d us]\n", get_time().le.lo);
+
 	while (1) {
 #ifdef BOARD_bds
 		gpio_set_level(GPIO_DEBUG_LED, 1);
diff --git a/chip/stm32l/watchdog.c b/chip/stm32l/watchdog.c
index 4a1cd7f6d2..9d66ea75b7 100644
--- a/chip/stm32l/watchdog.c
+++ b/chip/stm32l/watchdog.c
@@ -58,6 +58,11 @@ int watchdog_init(int period_ms)
 /* Low priority task to reload the watchdog */
 void watchdog_task(void)
 {
+	/* Print when the watchdog task starts.  This is the lowest priority
+	 * task, so this only starts once all other tasks have gotten a chance
+	 * to do their task inits and have gone to sleep. */
+	uart_printf("[watchdog task started at %d us]\n", get_time().le.lo);
+
 	while (1) {
 #ifdef BOARD_discovery
 		gpio_set_level(GPIO_GREEN_LED, 1);
diff --git a/common/charge_state.c b/common/charge_state.c
index fb2e565025..088f43669f 100644
--- a/common/charge_state.c
+++ b/common/charge_state.c
@@ -308,25 +308,17 @@ static enum power_state state_error(void)
 
 	/* Debug output */
 	if (error_flags != last_error_flags) {
-		uart_printf("errors   : %02x\n", error_flags);
-		uart_printf("previous : %02x\n", last_error_flags);
-		last_error_flags = error_flags;
-		uart_printf("ac       : %d\n", ac);
-		uart_puts("charger\n");
-		if (ac)
-			if (error_flags & (F_CHG_V | F_CHG_I))
-				uart_puts("  error\n");
-			else
-				uart_puts("  ok\n");
-		else
-			uart_puts("  offline\n");
+		uart_printf("[Charge error flags %02x -> %02x; AC=%d",
+			    last_error_flags, error_flags, ac);
 
-		uart_puts("battery\n");
-		uart_printf("  voltage: %5d\n", bat_v);
-		uart_printf("  current: %5d\n", bat_i);
-		uart_printf("  temp   : %5d\n", (bat_temp - 2731) / 10);
-		uart_printf("  des_vol: %5d\n", desired_v);
-		uart_printf("  des_cur: %5d\n", desired_i);
+		if (error_flags & (F_CHG_V | F_CHG_I))
+			uart_puts(", charger error");
+
+		uart_printf(", battery V=%d I=%d T=%d Vwant=%d Iwant=%d]\n",
+			    bat_v, bat_i, (bat_temp - 2731) / 10,
+			    desired_v, desired_i);
+
+		last_error_flags = error_flags;
 	}
 
 	*memmap_batt_flags = batt_flags;
@@ -392,7 +384,7 @@ void charge_state_machine_task(void)
 		}
 
 		if (new_state)
-			uart_printf("CHARGE: %s --> %s\n",
+			uart_printf("[Charge state %s -> %s]\n",
 				_state_name[current_state],
 				_state_name[new_state]);
 
diff --git a/common/main.c b/common/main.c
index 887312f6e5..50c5b6d63d 100644
--- a/common/main.c
+++ b/common/main.c
@@ -45,8 +45,11 @@ int main(void)
 	 * source we need to calibrate the internal oscillator. */
 	system_pre_init();
 
-	/* Set the CPU clocks / PLLs */
+	/* Set the CPU clocks / PLLs and timer */
 	clock_init();
+	timer_init();
+	/* The timer used by get_time() is now started, so everything after
+	 * this can be benchmarked. */
 
 	/* Do system, gpio, and vboot pre-initialization so we can jump to
 	 * another image if necessary.  This must be done as early as
@@ -60,7 +63,6 @@ int main(void)
 #ifdef CONFIG_TASK_WATCHDOG
 	watchdog_init(1100);
 #endif
-	timer_init();
 	uart_init();
 	system_init();
 #ifdef CONFIG_TASK_KEYSCAN
@@ -94,8 +96,11 @@ int main(void)
 	peci_init();
 #endif
 
-	/* Print the reset cause */
-	uart_printf("\n\n--- Chrome EC initialized! ---\n");
+	/* Print the init time and reset cause.  Init time isn't completely
+	 * accurate because it can't take into account the time for the first
+	 * few module inits, but it'll at least catch the majority of them. */
+	uart_printf("\n\n--- Chrome EC initialized in %d us ---\n",
+		    get_time().le.lo);
 	uart_printf("build: %s\n", system_get_build_info());
 	uart_printf("(image: %s, last reset: %s)\n",
 		    system_get_image_copy_string(),