diff --git a/server/core/poll.c b/server/core/poll.c
index 35016ca33..2a1067252 100644
--- a/server/core/poll.c
+++ b/server/core/poll.c
@@ -244,7 +244,21 @@ poll_waitevents(void *arg)
 				__uint32_t	ev = events[i].events;
 
                                 CHK_DCB(dcb);
-                                
+
+#if defined(SS_DEBUG)
+                                if (dcb_fake_write_ev[dcb->fd] != 0) {
+                                        skygw_log_write(
+                                                LOGFILE_TRACE,
+                                                "%lu %d [poll_waitevents] "
+                                                "Added fake events %d to ev %d.",
+                                                pthread_self(),
+                                                thread_id,
+                                                dcb_fake_write_ev[dcb->fd],
+                                                ev);
+                                        ev |= dcb_fake_write_ev[dcb->fd];
+                                        dcb_fake_write_ev[dcb->fd] = 0;
+                                }
+#endif
                                 ss_debug(spinlock_acquire(&dcb->dcb_initlock);)
                                 ss_dassert(dcb->state != DCB_STATE_ALLOC);
                                 ss_dassert(dcb->state != DCB_STATE_DISCONNECTED);
@@ -261,8 +275,33 @@ poll_waitevents(void *arg)
 
 				if (ev & EPOLLERR)
 				{
-					atomic_add(&pollStats.n_error, 1);
-					dcb->func.error(dcb);
+                                        int eno = gw_getsockerrno(dcb->fd);
+#if defined(SS_DEBUG)
+                                        if (eno == 0) {
+                                                eno = dcb_fake_write_errno[dcb->fd];
+                                                skygw_log_write(
+                                                        LOGFILE_TRACE,
+                                                        "%lu %d [poll_waitevents] "
+                                                        "Added fake errno %d. %s",
+                                                        pthread_self(),
+                                                        thread_id,
+                                                        eno,
+                                                        strerror(eno));
+                                        }
+                                        dcb_fake_write_errno[dcb->fd] = 0;
+#endif
+                                        if (eno != 0) {
+                                                skygw_log_write(
+                                                        LOGFILE_TRACE,
+                                                        "%lu %d [poll_waitevents] "
+                                                        "EPOLLERR due %d, %s.",
+                                                        pthread_self(),
+                                                        thread_id,
+                                                        eno,
+                                                        strerror(eno));
+                                        }
+                                        atomic_add(&pollStats.n_error, 1);
+                                        dcb->func.error(dcb);
                                         if (DCB_ISZOMBIE(dcb)) {
 						continue;
                                         }
diff --git a/server/modules/routing/debugcmd.c b/server/modules/routing/debugcmd.c
index 44b841ec1..c06c24e3f 100644
--- a/server/modules/routing/debugcmd.c
+++ b/server/modules/routing/debugcmd.c
@@ -206,6 +206,8 @@ struct subcommand disableoptions[] = {
       {0, 0, 0} }
 };
 
+#if defined(SS_DEBUG)
+
 static void fail_backendfd(void);
 static void fail_clientfd(void);
 
@@ -235,7 +237,7 @@ struct subcommand failoptions[] = {
         {0, 0, 0}
     }
 };
-
+#endif /* SS_DEBUG */
 
 static void telnetdAddUser(DCB *, char *, char *);
 /**
@@ -284,7 +286,9 @@ static struct {
 	{ "reload",	reloadoptions },
 	{ "enable",     enableoptions },
 	{ "disable",    disableoptions },
+#if defined(SS_DEBUG)
         { "fail",       failoptions },
+#endif
 	{ NULL,		NULL	}
 };
 
@@ -728,6 +732,7 @@ static void disable_log_action(DCB *dcb, char *arg1) {
         skygw_log_disable(type);
 }
 
+#if defined(SS_DEBUG)
 static void fail_backendfd(void)
 { 
         fail_next_backend_fd = TRUE;
@@ -737,3 +742,4 @@ static void fail_clientfd(void)
 { 
         fail_next_client_fd = TRUE;
 }
+#endif