diff --git a/lib/vc.js b/lib/vc.js
index 378d1344..91b36e1d 100644
--- a/lib/vc.js
+++ b/lib/vc.js
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ async function verifyCredential(options = {}) {
     return {
       verified: false,
       results: [{credential, verified: false, error}],
-      error
+      error,
     };
   }
 }
@@ -250,17 +250,33 @@ async function verifyCredential(options = {}) {
  */
 async function _verifyCredential(options = {}) {
   const {credential, checkStatus} = options;
+  try {
+    // run common credential checks
+    _checkCredential(credential);
 
-  // run common credential checks
-  _checkCredential(credential);
-
-  // if credential status is provided, a `checkStatus` function must be given
-  if(credential.credentialStatus && typeof options.checkStatus !== 'function') {
-    throw new TypeError(
-      'A "checkStatus" function must be given to verify credentials with ' +
-      '"credentialStatus".');
+    // if credential status is provided, a `checkStatus` function must be given
+    if(credential.credentialStatus && typeof options.checkStatus !== 'function') {
+      throw new TypeError(
+        'A "checkStatus" function must be given to verify credentials with ' +
+        '"credentialStatus".');
+    } 
+  } catch(error) {
+    const log = [];
+    log.push({
+      id: 'check_credential_required_field', 
+      valid: false,
+    });
+    return {
+      verified: false,
+      results: [{credential, verified: false, error}],
+      error,
+      log,
+    };
   }
 
+
+  const log = [];
+  log.push({id: 'check_credential_required_field', valid: true});
   const documentLoader = options.documentLoader || defaultDocumentLoader;
 
   const {controller} = options;
@@ -273,16 +289,22 @@ async function _verifyCredential(options = {}) {
 
   // if verification has already failed, skip status check
   if(!result.verified) {
+    log.push({id: 'verifies_data_signature_on_document', valid: false});
+    result.log = log;
     return result;
   }
+  log.push({id: 'verifies_data_signature_on_document', valid: true});
 
   if(credential.credentialStatus) {
     result.statusResult = await checkStatus(options);
     if(!result.statusResult.verified) {
       result.verified = false;
+      log.push({id: 'check_status', valid: false});
     }
   }
 
+  log.push({id: 'check_status', valid: true});
+  result.log = log;
   return result;
 }