diff --git a/dev-tools/deploy b/dev-tools/deploy
index fca9274ceba..7446f840c8e 100755
--- a/dev-tools/deploy
+++ b/dev-tools/deploy
@@ -13,13 +13,17 @@ def main():
 
     dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
     os.chdir(dir + "/packer")
+    print("Getting dependencies")
     check_call("make deps", shell=True)
     check_call("make clean", shell=True)
+    print("Start building Docker images.")
     check_call("make images", shell=True)
+    print("Done building Docker images.")
     if args.no_snapshot:
         check_call("make SNAPSHOT=no", shell=True)
     else:
         check_call("make SNAPSHOT=yes", shell=True)
+    print("All done")
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     main()
diff --git a/dev-tools/packer/Makefile b/dev-tools/packer/Makefile
index e5bd7148ccb..51d1529eb8c 100644
--- a/dev-tools/packer/Makefile
+++ b/dev-tools/packer/Makefile
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ all: packetbeat/deb packetbeat/rpm packetbeat/darwin packetbeat/win packetbeat/b
 
 .PHONY: packetbeat metricbeat
 packetbeat metricbeat: build/upload
+	@echo Cross-compiling $@
 	# cross compile on ubuntu
 	docker run --rm \
 		-v $(abspath build):/build \
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ packetbeat metricbeat: build/upload
 
 .PHONY: filebeat
 filebeat:
+	@echo Cross-compiling $@
 	# pure go cross compiling doesn't need C compilers but
 	# we do it using the same docker instances for simplicity
 	docker run --rm \
@@ -53,6 +55,7 @@ filebeat:
 
 .PHONY: winlogbeat
 winlogbeat:
+	@echo Cross-compiling $@
 	# Winlogbeat is pure go and only needs Windows
 	docker run --rm \
 		-v $(abspath build):/build \
diff --git a/dev-tools/packer/docker/xgo-image/base/build.sh b/dev-tools/packer/docker/xgo-image/base/build.sh
index 477f8b12d22..46be615f6c1 100644
--- a/dev-tools/packer/docker/xgo-image/base/build.sh
+++ b/dev-tools/packer/docker/xgo-image/base/build.sh
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ for TARGET in $TARGETS; do
 
 		# Build the requested windows binaries
 		if [ $XGOARCH == "." ] || [ $XGOARCH == "amd64" ]; then
-			echo "Compiling for windows-$PLATFORM/amd64..."
+			echo "Compiling $PACK for windows-$PLATFORM/amd64..."
 			CC=x86_64-w64-mingw32-gcc CXX=x86_64-w64-mingw32-g++ CFLAGS="$CGO_NTDEF" CXXFLAGS="$CGO_NTDEF" HOST=x86_64-w64-mingw32 PREFIX=/usr/x86_64-w64-mingw32 $BUILD_DEPS /deps $LIST_DEPS
 			export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/usr/x86_64-w64-mingw32/lib/pkgconfig
 
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ for TARGET in $TARGETS; do
 		fi
 
 		if [ $XGOARCH == "." ] || [ $XGOARCH == "386" ]; then
-			echo "Compiling for windows-$PLATFORM/386..."
+			echo "Compiling $PACK for windows-$PLATFORM/386..."
 			CC=i686-w64-mingw32-gcc CXX=i686-w64-mingw32-g++ CFLAGS="$CGO_NTDEF" CXXFLAGS="$CGO_NTDEF" HOST=i686-w64-mingw32 PREFIX=/usr/i686-w64-mingw32 $BUILD_DEPS /deps $LIST_DEPS
 			export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/usr/i686-w64-mingw32/lib/pkgconfig
 
diff --git a/dev-tools/packer/scripts/Makefile b/dev-tools/packer/scripts/Makefile
index eb11015d57e..8e3836aae3e 100644
--- a/dev-tools/packer/scripts/Makefile
+++ b/dev-tools/packer/scripts/Makefile
@@ -6,21 +6,26 @@ packer_absdir=$(shell dirname ${makefile_abspath})
 
 
 %/deb: % build/god-linux-386 build/god-linux-amd64 fpm-image
+	echo Creating DEB packages for $(@D)
 	ARCH=386 BEAT=$(@D) BUILDID=$(BUILDID) SNAPSHOT=$(SNAPSHOT) $(packer_absdir)/platforms/debian/build.sh
 	ARCH=amd64 BEAT=$(@D) BUILDID=$(BUILDID) SNAPSHOT=$(SNAPSHOT) $(packer_absdir)/platforms/debian/build.sh
 
 %/rpm: % build/god-linux-386 build/god-linux-amd64 fpm-image
+	echo Creating RPM packages for $(@D)
 	ARCH=386 BEAT=$(@D) BUILDID=$(BUILDID) SNAPSHOT=$(SNAPSHOT) $(packer_absdir)/platforms/centos/build.sh
 	ARCH=amd64 BEAT=$(@D) BUILDID=$(BUILDID) SNAPSHOT=$(SNAPSHOT) $(packer_absdir)/platforms/centos/build.sh
 
 %/darwin: %
+	echo Creating Darwin packages for $(@D)
 	ARCH=amd64 BEAT=$(@D) BUILDID=$(BUILDID) SNAPSHOT=$(SNAPSHOT) $(packer_absdir)/platforms/darwin/build.sh
 
 %/win: %
+	echo Creating Darwin packages for $(@D)
 	ARCH=386 BEAT=$(@D) BUILDID=$(BUILDID) SNAPSHOT=$(SNAPSHOT) $(packer_absdir)/platforms/windows/build.sh
 	ARCH=amd64 BEAT=$(@D) BUILDID=$(BUILDID) SNAPSHOT=$(SNAPSHOT) $(packer_absdir)/platforms/windows/build.sh
 
 %/bin: %
+	echo Creating Linux packages for $(@D)
 	ARCH=386 BEAT=$(@D) BUILDID=$(BUILDID) SNAPSHOT=$(SNAPSHOT) $(packer_absdir)/platforms/binary/build.sh
 	ARCH=amd64 BEAT=$(@D) BUILDID=$(BUILDID) SNAPSHOT=$(SNAPSHOT) $(packer_absdir)/platforms/binary/build.sh