diff --git a/python/src/main.cpp b/python/src/main.cpp
index 3bddce88..5a3a4441 100644
--- a/python/src/main.cpp
+++ b/python/src/main.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,30 @@ namespace py = pybind11;
 // used in Core.hpp
 py::object kp_trace, kp_debug, kp_info, kp_warning, kp_error;
 
+static void kp_log(int level, const std::string& msg) {
+  py::gil_scoped_acquire gil;
+    switch (level) {
+      case 0:
+        kp_trace(msg); break;
+      case 1:
+        kp_debug(msg); break;
+      case 2:
+        kp_info(msg); break;
+      case 3:
+        kp_warning(msg); break;
+      case 4:
+        kp_error(msg); break;
+      default:
+        break;
+    }
+}
+
+void py_log_trace(const std::string& msg) {kp_log(0, msg);}
+void py_log_debug(const std::string& msg) {kp_log(1, msg);}
+void py_log_info(const std::string& msg) {kp_log(2, msg);}
+void py_log_warning(const std::string& msg) {kp_log(3, msg);}
+void py_log_error(const std::string& msg) {kp_log(4, msg);}
+
 std::unique_ptr<kp::OpAlgoDispatch>
 opAlgoDispatchPyInit(std::shared_ptr<kp::Algorithm>& algorithm,
                      const py::array& push_consts)
diff --git a/src/Manager.cpp b/src/Manager.cpp
index 32577db1..d77ab417 100644
--- a/src/Manager.cpp
+++ b/src/Manager.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,34 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <unordered_map>
 
+template <> struct fmt::formatter<vk::ValidationFeatureEnableEXT>: public fmt::formatter<std::string> {
+
+  // parse is inherited from formatter<string>.
+
+  template <typename Context>
+  fmt::format_context::iterator format (vk::ValidationFeatureEnableEXT const& flag, Context& ctx) const {
+      std::string name {"unknown"};
+      switch(flag) {
+        case vk::ValidationFeatureEnableEXT::eDebugPrintf:
+            name = "debugPrintF";
+            break;
+        case vk::ValidationFeatureEnableEXT::eGpuAssisted:
+            name = "gpuAssisted";
+            break;
+        case vk::ValidationFeatureEnableEXT::eGpuAssistedReserveBindingSlot:
+            name = "gpuAssistedReserveBindingSlot";
+            break;
+        case vk::ValidationFeatureEnableEXT::eBestPractices:
+            name = "bestPractices";
+            break;
+        case vk::ValidationFeatureEnableEXT::eSynchronizationValidation:
+            name = "synchronizationValidation";
+            break;
+      }
+      return fmt::formatter<std::string>::format(name, ctx);
+  }
+};
+
 namespace kp {
 
 #ifndef KOMPUTE_DISABLE_VK_DEBUG_LAYERS
@@ -185,10 +213,11 @@ Manager::createInstance()
 #endif
 
     if (!applicationExtensions.empty()) {
-        computeInstanceCreateInfo.enabledExtensionCount =
-          (uint32_t)applicationExtensions.size();
-        computeInstanceCreateInfo.ppEnabledExtensionNames =
-          applicationExtensions.data();
+        computeInstanceCreateInfo.setEnabledExtensionCount(
+            (uint32_t)applicationExtensions.size());
+        computeInstanceCreateInfo.setPpEnabledExtensionNames(
+            applicationExtensions.data());
+        KP_LOG_DEBUG("Desired extensions: {}", fmt::join(applicationExtensions, ", "));
     }
 
 #ifndef KOMPUTE_DISABLE_VK_DEBUG_LAYERS
@@ -212,7 +241,21 @@ Manager::createInstance()
         for (const std::string& layerName : envLayerNames) {
             desiredLayerNames.push_back(layerName.c_str());
         }
-        KP_LOG_DEBUG("Desired layers: {}", fmt::join(desiredLayerNames, ", "));
+    }
+    KP_LOG_DEBUG("Desired layers: {}", fmt::join(desiredLayerNames, ", "));
+
+    vk::ValidationFeaturesEXT validationFeatures;
+    std::vector<vk::ValidationFeatureEnableEXT>  validationFeatureEnablesExt;
+    const char* envPrintfVal = std::getenv("KOMPUTE_ENV_PRINTF");
+    if (envPrintfVal != nullptr && *envPrintfVal != '\0') {
+        KP_LOG_DEBUG("Kompute Manager adding debug printf");
+        validationFeatureEnablesExt.push_back(vk::ValidationFeatureEnableEXT::eDebugPrintf);
+    }
+
+    if (!validationFeatureEnablesExt.empty()) {
+        validationFeatures.setEnabledValidationFeatures(validationFeatureEnablesExt);
+        computeInstanceCreateInfo.setPNext(&validationFeatures);
+        KP_LOG_DEBUG("Validation features: {}", fmt::join(validationFeatureEnablesExt, ", "));
     }
 
     // Identify the valid layer names based on the desiredLayerNames
@@ -236,9 +279,9 @@ Manager::createInstance()
         KP_LOG_DEBUG(
           "Kompute Manager Initializing instance with valid layers: {}",
           fmt::join(validLayerNames, ", "));
-        computeInstanceCreateInfo.enabledLayerCount =
-          static_cast<uint32_t>(validLayerNames.size());
-        computeInstanceCreateInfo.ppEnabledLayerNames = validLayerNames.data();
+        computeInstanceCreateInfo.setEnabledLayerCount(
+          static_cast<uint32_t>(validLayerNames.size()));
+        computeInstanceCreateInfo.setPpEnabledLayerNames(validLayerNames.data());
     } else {
         KP_LOG_WARN("Kompute Manager no valid layer names found from desired "
                     "layer names");
@@ -268,15 +311,14 @@ Manager::createInstance()
     KP_LOG_DEBUG("Kompute Manager Instance Created");
 
 #ifndef KOMPUTE_DISABLE_VK_DEBUG_LAYERS
-    KP_LOG_DEBUG("Kompute Manager adding debug callbacks");
     if (validLayerNames.size() > 0) {
+        KP_LOG_DEBUG("Kompute Manager adding debug callbacks");
         vk::DebugReportFlagsEXT debugFlags =
           vk::DebugReportFlagBitsEXT::eError |
           vk::DebugReportFlagBitsEXT::eWarning;
-        vk::DebugReportCallbackCreateInfoEXT debugCreateInfo = {};
-        debugCreateInfo.pfnCallback =
-          (PFN_vkDebugReportCallbackEXT)debugMessageCallback;
-        debugCreateInfo.flags = debugFlags;
+        auto debugCreateInfo = vk::DebugReportCallbackCreateInfoEXT()
+            .setFlags(debugFlags)
+            .setPfnCallback((PFN_vkDebugReportCallbackEXT)debugMessageCallback);
 
         this->mDebugDispatcher.init(*this->mInstance, &vkGetInstanceProcAddr);
         this->mDebugReportCallback =
@@ -384,6 +426,7 @@ Manager::createDevice(const std::vector<uint32_t>& familyQueueIndices,
     } else {
         this->mComputeQueueFamilyIndices = familyQueueIndices;
     }
+    KP_LOG_DEBUG("compute queue family indices: {}", fmt::join(this->mComputeQueueFamilyIndices, ", "));
 
     std::unordered_map<uint32_t, uint32_t> familyQueueCounts;
     std::unordered_map<uint32_t, std::vector<float>> familyQueuePriorities;
@@ -425,11 +468,15 @@ Manager::createDevice(const std::vector<uint32_t>& familyQueueIndices,
             validExtensions.push_back(ext.c_str());
         }
     }
+
     if (desiredExtensions.size() != validExtensions.size()) {
         KP_LOG_ERROR("Kompute Manager not all extensions were added: {}",
                      fmt::join(validExtensions, ", "));
     }
 
+    KP_LOG_DEBUG("Kompute Manager used extensions {}",
+                 fmt::join(validExtensions, ", "));
+
     vk::DeviceCreateInfo deviceCreateInfo(vk::DeviceCreateFlags(),
                                           deviceQueueCreateInfos.size(),
                                           deviceQueueCreateInfos.data(),
diff --git a/src/include/kompute/Core.hpp b/src/include/kompute/Core.hpp
index 2384e47b..c444d714 100644
--- a/src/include/kompute/Core.hpp
+++ b/src/include/kompute/Core.hpp
@@ -23,8 +23,11 @@ typedef std::vector<float> Constants;
 #endif // KOMPUTE_VK_API_VERSION
 
 #if defined(KOMPUTE_BUILD_PYTHON)
-#include <pybind11/pybind11.h>
-namespace py = pybind11;
 // from python/src/main.cpp
-extern py::object kp_trace, kp_debug, kp_info, kp_warning, kp_error;
+
+extern void py_log_trace(const std::string& msg);
+extern void py_log_debug(const std::string& msg);
+extern void py_log_info(const std::string& msg);
+extern void py_log_warning(const std::string& msg);
+extern void py_log_error(const std::string& msg);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/include/kompute/logger/Logger.hpp b/src/include/kompute/logger/Logger.hpp
index 6e06918a..fd3832f3 100644
--- a/src/include/kompute/logger/Logger.hpp
+++ b/src/include/kompute/logger/Logger.hpp
@@ -25,10 +25,12 @@ static const char* KOMPUTE_LOG_TAG = "KomputeLog";
 #else
 #if KOMPUTE_BUILD_PYTHON
 #include <fmt/core.h>
-#include <pybind11/pybind11.h>
-namespace py = pybind11;
 // from python/src/main.cpp
-extern py::object kp_trace, kp_debug, kp_info, kp_warning, kp_error;
+extern void py_log_trace(const std::string& msg);
+extern void py_log_debug(const std::string& msg);
+extern void py_log_info(const std::string& msg);
+extern void py_log_warning(const std::string& msg);
+extern void py_log_error(const std::string& msg);
 #else
 #include <fmt/core.h>
 #endif // KOMPUTE_BUILD_PYTHON
@@ -57,7 +59,7 @@ setupLogger();
       ANDROID_LOG_VERBOSE, KOMPUTE_LOG_TAG, fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__).c_str()))
 #else
 #if KOMPUTE_BUILD_PYTHON
-#define KP_LOG_TRACE(...) kp_trace(fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__))
+#define KP_LOG_TRACE(...) py_log_trace(fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__))
 #else
 #define KP_LOG_TRACE(...)                                                      \
     fmt::print("[{} {}] [trace] [{}:{}] {}\n",                                 \
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ setupLogger();
       ANDROID_LOG_DEBUG, KOMPUTE_LOG_TAG, fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__).c_str()))
 #else
 #if KOMPUTE_BUILD_PYTHON
-#define KP_LOG_DEBUG(...) kp_debug(fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__))
+#define KP_LOG_DEBUG(...) py_log_debug(fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__))
 #else
 #ifdef __FILE_NAME__ // gcc 12 provides only file name without path
 #define KP_LOG_DEBUG(...)                                                      \
@@ -98,7 +100,7 @@ setupLogger();
                __TIME__,                                                       \
                __FILE__,                                                       \
                __LINE__,                                                       \
-               fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__))
+               fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__));
 #endif // __FILE__NAME__
 #endif // KOMPUTE_BUILD_PYTHON
 #endif // VK_USE_PLATFORM_ANDROID_KHR
@@ -115,7 +117,7 @@ setupLogger();
       ANDROID_LOG_INFO, KOMPUTE_LOG_TAG, fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__).c_str()))
 #else
 #if KOMPUTE_BUILD_PYTHON
-#define KP_LOG_INFO(...) kp_info(fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__))
+#define KP_LOG_INFO(...) py_log_info(fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__))
 #else
 #define KP_LOG_INFO(...)                                                       \
     fmt::print("[{} {}] [info] [{}:{}] {}\n",                                  \
@@ -139,7 +141,7 @@ setupLogger();
       ANDROID_LOG_WARN, KOMPUTE_LOG_TAG, fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__).c_str()))
 #else
 #if KOMPUTE_BUILD_PYTHON
-#define KP_LOG_WARN(...) kp_warning(fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__))
+#define KP_LOG_WARN(...) py_log_warning(fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__))
 #else
 #define KP_LOG_WARN(...)                                                       \
     fmt::print("[{} {}] [warn] [{}:{}] {}\n",                                  \
@@ -163,7 +165,7 @@ setupLogger();
       ANDROID_LOG_ERROR, KOMPUTE_LOG_TAG, fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__).c_str()))
 #else
 #if KOMPUTE_BUILD_PYTHON
-#define KP_LOG_ERROR(...) kp_error(fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__))
+#define KP_LOG_ERROR(...) py_log_error(fmt::format(__VA_ARGS__))
 #else
 #define KP_LOG_ERROR(...)                                                      \
     fmt::print("[{} {}] [error] [{}:{}] {}\n",                                 \