diff --git a/scripts/submit_job.py b/scripts/submit_job.py
index 41d7940..9152024 100755
--- a/scripts/submit_job.py
+++ b/scripts/submit_job.py
@@ -122,19 +122,27 @@ def submit_jcl(job, mvshost="oldcomputernerd.com"):
     try:
         # Read the JCL file and send via netcat (same approach as upload_source)
         with open(subjcl, 'rb') as f:
+            jcl_data = f.read()
+            print(f"Submitting {len(jcl_data)} bytes of JCL to {mvshost}:{RDRPORT}")
             result = subprocess.run(
                 ['nc', '-w', '5', mvshost, str(RDRPORT)],
-                input=f.read(),
+                input=jcl_data,
                 check=True,
                 capture_output=True
             )
         print(f"Submitted JCL job: {job}")
         if result.stdout:
             print("JES response:", result.stdout.decode(errors='ignore').strip())
+        if result.stderr:
+            print("netcat stderr:", result.stderr.decode(errors='ignore').strip())
+        if result.returncode != 0:
+            print(f"WARNING: netcat returned non-zero exit code: {result.returncode}")
+            return 1
         return 0
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
-        print(f"JCL submission failed: {e}")
+        print(f"ERROR: JCL submission failed with exit code {e.returncode}")
         print("stderr:", e.stderr.decode(errors='ignore'))
+        print("stdout:", e.stdout.decode(errors='ignore'))
         return 1
     except FileNotFoundError as e:
         print(f"Error reading JCL file: {e}")