diff --git a/gnome-panel/main.c b/gnome-panel/main.c
index 966b35d..70a31fe 100644
--- a/gnome-panel/main.c
+++ b/gnome-panel/main.c
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 	GOptionContext *context;
 	GnomeProgram   *program;
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("Entering main()");
+
 	bindtextdomain (GETTEXT_PACKAGE, GNOMELOCALEDIR);
 	bind_textdomain_codeset (GETTEXT_PACKAGE, "UTF-8");
 	textdomain (GETTEXT_PACKAGE);
@@ -56,6 +58,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 
 	g_option_context_add_main_entries (context, options, GETTEXT_PACKAGE);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("main(): gnome_program_init()");
 	program = gnome_program_init ("gnome-panel", VERSION,
 				      LIBGNOMEUI_MODULE,
 				      argc, argv,
@@ -63,26 +66,41 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 				      GNOME_PROGRAM_STANDARD_PROPERTIES,
 				      NULL);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("main(): setting icon name");
 	gtk_window_set_default_icon_name (PANEL_ICON_PANEL);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("main(): registering with bonobo-activation");
 	if (!panel_shell_register ())
 		return -1;
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("main(): initializing authentication manager");
 	gnome_authentication_manager_init ();
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("main(): initializing action protocol");
 	panel_action_protocol_init ();
+
+	panel_checkpoint ("main(): initializing multiscreen");
 	panel_multiscreen_init ();
+
+	panel_checkpoint ("main(): initializing stock icons");
 	panel_init_stock_icons_and_items ();
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("main(): initializing session");
 	panel_session_init ();
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("main(): setting up gconf monitoring");
 	gconf_client_add_dir (panel_gconf_get_client (),
 			      "/desktop/gnome/interface",
 			      GCONF_CLIENT_PRELOAD_NONE,
 			      NULL);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("main(): loading global configuration");
 	panel_global_config_load ();
+
+	panel_checkpoint ("main(): initializing lockdown");
 	panel_lockdown_init ();
+
+	panel_checkpoint ("main(): loading profile");
 	panel_profile_load ();
 
 	/*add forbidden lists to ALL panels*/
@@ -90,8 +108,10 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 			 (GFunc)panel_widget_add_forbidden,
 			 NULL);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("main(): initializing X stuff");
 	xstuff_init ();
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("main(): entering main loop!");
 	gtk_main ();
 
 	panel_lockdown_finalize ();
diff --git a/gnome-panel/panel-applet-frame.c b/gnome-panel/panel-applet-frame.c
index 07688c8..7386b97 100644
--- a/gnome-panel/panel-applet-frame.c
+++ b/gnome-panel/panel-applet-frame.c
@@ -361,9 +361,11 @@ panel_applet_frame_load (const gchar *iid,
 
 	CORBA_exception_init (&ev);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_applet_frame_load(): activating %s", iid);
 	bonobo_activation_activate_from_id_async (iid, 0,
 						  (BonoboActivationCallback) panel_applet_frame_activated,
 						  frame_act, &ev);
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_applet_frame_load(): waiting for async activation notification");
 }
 
 void
@@ -1263,6 +1265,8 @@ panel_applet_frame_activated (CORBA_Object object,
 	frame_act = (PanelAppletFrameActivating *) data;
 	frame = frame_act->frame;
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_applet_frame_activated(): applet %s is active", frame->priv->iid);
+
 	/* according to the source of bonobo control == NULL && no
 	   exception can happen, so handle it */
 	if (error_reason != NULL || object == CORBA_OBJECT_NIL) {
diff --git a/gnome-panel/panel-profile.c b/gnome-panel/panel-profile.c
index 256b556..0bd8f2a 100644
--- a/gnome-panel/panel-profile.c
+++ b/gnome-panel/panel-profile.c
@@ -1649,17 +1649,24 @@ panel_profile_load_toplevel (GConfClient       *client,
 	if (!toplevel_id || !toplevel_id [0])
 		return NULL;
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load_toplevel(): - gconf stuff");
+
 	toplevel_dir = g_strdup_printf ("%s/toplevels/%s", profile_dir, toplevel_id);
 
-	if (!gconf_client_dir_exists (client, toplevel_dir, NULL))
+	if (!gconf_client_dir_exists (client, toplevel_dir, NULL)) {
+		panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load_toplevel(): start associating schemas");
 		panel_gconf_associate_schemas_in_dir (
 			client, toplevel_dir, PANEL_SCHEMAS_DIR "/toplevels");
+		panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load_toplevel(): end associating schemas");
+	}
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load_toplevel(): caching gconf toplevel dir");
 	gconf_client_add_dir (client,
 			      toplevel_dir,
 			      GCONF_CLIENT_PRELOAD_ONELEVEL,
 			      NULL);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load_toplevel(): caching gconf background dir");
 	key = panel_gconf_sprintf ("%s/background", toplevel_dir);
 	gconf_client_add_dir (client,
 			      key,
@@ -1673,9 +1680,11 @@ panel_profile_load_toplevel (GConfClient       *client,
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load_toplevel(): creating toplevel object");
 	toplevel = g_object_new (PANEL_TYPE_TOPLEVEL,
 				 "screen", screen,
 				 NULL);
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load_toplevel(): done creating toplevel object");
 
 #define GET_INT(k, fn)                                                              \
 	{                                                                           \
@@ -1777,8 +1786,10 @@ panel_profile_load_toplevel (GConfClient       *client,
 	GET_POSITION ("x", "x_right", "x_centered", x);
 	GET_POSITION ("y", "y_bottom", "y_centered", y);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load_toplevel(): - loading background");
 	panel_profile_load_background (toplevel, client, toplevel_dir);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load_toplevel(): - setting toplevel id; final gconf stuff");
 	panel_profile_set_toplevel_id (toplevel, toplevel_id);
 
 	panel_profile_connect_to_toplevel (toplevel);
@@ -1803,8 +1814,10 @@ panel_profile_load_toplevel (GConfClient       *client,
 
 	g_free (toplevel_dir);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load_toplevel(): - panel_setup");
 	panel_setup (toplevel);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load_toplevel(): - end");
 	return toplevel;
 }
 
@@ -1816,9 +1829,15 @@ panel_profile_load_and_show_toplevel (GConfClient       *client,
 {
 	PanelToplevel *toplevel;
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load_and_show_toplevel(): start - loading toplevel");
+
 	toplevel = panel_profile_load_toplevel (client, profile_dir, type, toplevel_id);
-	if (toplevel)
+	if (toplevel) {
+		panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load_toplevel(): showing toplevel");
 		gtk_widget_show (GTK_WIDGET (toplevel));
+	}
+
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load_and_show_toplevel(): end");
 }
 
 static void
@@ -2477,33 +2496,46 @@ panel_profile_load (void)
 {
 	GConfClient *client;
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load(): getting gconf client");
 	client  = panel_gconf_get_client ();
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load(): copying old configuration");
 	panel_compatibility_maybe_copy_old_config (client);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load(): migrating ID list");
 	panel_compatibility_migrate_panel_id_list (client);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load(): caching /general directory");
 	gconf_client_add_dir (client, PANEL_CONFIG_DIR "/general", GCONF_CLIENT_PRELOAD_ONELEVEL, NULL);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load(): loading config for toplevels");
 	panel_profile_load_list (client,
 				 PANEL_CONFIG_DIR,
 				 PANEL_GCONF_TOPLEVELS,
 				 panel_profile_load_and_show_toplevel,
 				 (GConfClientNotifyFunc) panel_profile_toplevel_id_list_notify);
+
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load(): loading config for objects");
 	panel_profile_load_list (client,
 				 PANEL_CONFIG_DIR,
 				 PANEL_GCONF_OBJECTS,
 				 panel_profile_load_object,
 				 (GConfClientNotifyFunc) panel_profile_object_id_list_notify);
+
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load(): loading config for applets");
 	panel_profile_load_list (client,
 				 PANEL_CONFIG_DIR,
 				 PANEL_GCONF_APPLETS,
 				 panel_profile_load_object,
 				 (GConfClientNotifyFunc) panel_profile_object_id_list_notify);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load(): ensuring toplevels");
 	panel_profile_ensure_toplevel_per_screen (client, PANEL_CONFIG_DIR);
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load(): loading queued applets");
 	panel_applet_load_queued_applets ();
+
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_profile_load(): done");
 }
 
 static gboolean
diff --git a/gnome-panel/panel-toplevel.c b/gnome-panel/panel-toplevel.c
index d499440..9724b6a 100644
--- a/gnome-panel/panel-toplevel.c
+++ b/gnome-panel/panel-toplevel.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 #include "panel-struts.h"
 #include "panel-config-global.h"
 #include "panel-lockdown.h"
+#include "panel-util.h"
 
 G_DEFINE_TYPE (PanelToplevel, panel_toplevel, GTK_TYPE_WINDOW);
 
@@ -2892,6 +2893,8 @@ panel_toplevel_realize (GtkWidget *widget)
 {
 	PanelToplevel *toplevel = (PanelToplevel *) widget;
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_toplevel_realize(): start");
+
 	gtk_window_set_decorated (GTK_WINDOW (widget), FALSE);
 	gtk_window_stick (GTK_WINDOW (widget));
 
@@ -2905,6 +2908,8 @@ panel_toplevel_realize (GtkWidget *widget)
 	gdk_window_set_geometry_hints (widget->window, NULL, GDK_HINT_POS);
 
 	panel_toplevel_move_resize_window (toplevel, TRUE, TRUE);
+
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_toplevel_realize(): end");
 }
 
 static void
@@ -3006,6 +3011,8 @@ panel_toplevel_size_request (GtkWidget      *widget,
 	int            position_changed = FALSE;
 	int            size_changed = FALSE;
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_toplevel_size_request(): start");
+
 	toplevel = PANEL_TOPLEVEL (widget);
 	bin = GTK_BIN (widget);
 
@@ -3031,6 +3038,8 @@ panel_toplevel_size_request (GtkWidget      *widget,
 		position_changed = TRUE;
 
 	panel_toplevel_move_resize_window (toplevel, position_changed, size_changed);
+
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_toplevel_size_request(): end");
 }
 
 static void
@@ -3041,6 +3050,8 @@ panel_toplevel_size_allocate (GtkWidget     *widget,
 	GtkBin        *bin = (GtkBin *) widget;
 	GtkAllocation  challoc;
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_toplevel_size_allocate(): start");
+
 	widget->allocation = *allocation;
 
 	if (toplevel->priv->expand ||
@@ -3089,6 +3100,8 @@ panel_toplevel_size_allocate (GtkWidget     *widget,
 
 	if (bin->child && GTK_WIDGET_VISIBLE (bin->child))
 		gtk_widget_size_allocate (bin->child, &challoc);
+
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_toplevel_size_allocate(): end");
 }
 
 static gboolean
@@ -3099,6 +3112,8 @@ panel_toplevel_expose (GtkWidget      *widget,
 	PanelFrameEdge  edges;
 	gboolean        retval = FALSE;
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_toplevel_expose(): start");
+
 	if (!GTK_WIDGET_DRAWABLE (widget))
 		return retval;
 
@@ -3191,6 +3206,8 @@ panel_toplevel_expose (GtkWidget      *widget,
 				  GTK_ORIENTATION_VERTICAL);
 	}
 
+	panel_checkpoint ("panel_toplevel_expose(): end");
+
 	return retval;
 }
 
diff --git a/gnome-panel/panel-util.c b/gnome-panel/panel-util.c
index 08fcd16..d952c1d 100644
--- a/gnome-panel/panel-util.c
+++ b/gnome-panel/panel-util.c
@@ -39,6 +39,23 @@
 #include "launcher.h"
 #include "panel-icon-names.h"
 
+void
+panel_checkpoint (const char *format, ...)
+{
+	va_list args;
+	char *str;
+	char *checkpoint_str;
+
+	va_start (args, format);
+	str = g_strdup_vprintf (format, args);
+	checkpoint_str = g_strdup_printf ("MARK: %s: %s", g_get_prgname(), str);
+
+	access (checkpoint_str, F_OK);
+
+	g_free (str);
+	g_free (checkpoint_str);
+}
+
 int
 panel_ditem_launch (GnomeDesktopItem  *item,
 		    GList             *file_list,
diff --git a/gnome-panel/panel-util.h b/gnome-panel/panel-util.h
index 0d74d2d..dda340c 100644
--- a/gnome-panel/panel-util.h
+++ b/gnome-panel/panel-util.h
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ typedef void (*UpdateFunction) (gpointer);
 
 #define		sure_string(s)		((const char *)((s)!=NULL?(s):""))
 
+void		panel_checkpoint (const char *format, ...);
+
 void            panel_util_launch_from_key_file (GKeyFile                *keyfile,
 						 GList                   *file_list,
 						 GdkScreen               *screen,