diff --git a/ui/src/views/Forecast.jsx b/ui/src/views/Forecast.jsx
index 2eb268b..26d21ce 100644
--- a/ui/src/views/Forecast.jsx
+++ b/ui/src/views/Forecast.jsx
@@ -698,9 +698,8 @@ export default function Forecast({ sources = [], sourceId, versions = [], versio
   }
 
   async function initViewer(vid, sid) {
-    dbgOrder('initViewer start', { vid, sid, hasViewer: !!viewerRef.current })
     const viewer = viewerRef.current
-    if (!viewer) return dbgOrder('initViewer: no viewer element')
+    if (!viewer) return
     const myId = ++initIdRef.current
     setLoading(true)
     setLargeDataset(false)
@@ -738,7 +737,7 @@ export default function Forecast({ sources = [], sourceId, versions = [], versio
 
       if (rowCount >= 500000) setLargeDataset(true)
 
-      if (myId !== initIdRef.current) return dbgOrder('initViewer: superseded before table')
+      if (myId !== initIdRef.current) return
 
       if (!workerRef.current) workerRef.current = await perspective.worker()
       const worker = workerRef.current
@@ -811,8 +810,7 @@ export default function Forecast({ sources = [], sourceId, versions = [], versio
       // by the very next line and the ordering columns never appeared in the
       // column list.
       try {
-        dbgOrder('reached the sync call')
-        await syncOrderExpressions()
+          await syncOrderExpressions()
       } catch (err) {
         // Its own try covers only restore(); save() and the builders sit outside
         // it, and a throw there would abort the rest of initViewer silently.
@@ -941,8 +939,13 @@ export default function Forecast({ sources = [], sourceId, versions = [], versio
   //
   // Removing an ordering removes its column: leaving a stale Bucket expression
   // behind would keep ordering by an order that no longer exists.
+  // Silent unless localStorage.pf_debug is set, like the rest of the tracing.
+  // Kept rather than removed: it took several rounds to work out that this ran
+  // before its inputs existed, and it will be wanted again.
   function dbgOrder(msg, extra) {
-    console.log(`[pf-order] ${msg}`, extra)
+    try { if (!localStorage.getItem('pf_debug')) return } catch { return }
+    if (extra === undefined) console.log(`[pf-order] ${msg}`)
+    else console.log(`[pf-order] ${msg}`, extra)
   }
 
   // Fetches its own inputs rather than reading the `versions` prop and the