diff --git a/nfoguard.py b/nfoguard.py
index 14333ab..0482e8e 100644
--- a/nfoguard.py
+++ b/nfoguard.py
@@ -597,14 +597,27 @@ class MovieProcessor:
     
     def _get_digital_release_date(self, imdb_id: str) -> Tuple[Optional[str], str]:
         """Get release date from external sources using configured priority"""
-        release_result = self.external_clients.get_release_date_by_priority(
-            imdb_id, 
-            config.release_date_priority,
-            enable_smart_validation=config.enable_smart_date_validation
-        )
-        if release_result:
-            return release_result[0], release_result[1]
-        return None, "release:none"
+        _log("INFO", f"🔍 Calling external clients for {imdb_id}")
+        _log("INFO", f"Release date priority: {config.release_date_priority}")
+        _log("INFO", f"Smart validation enabled: {config.enable_smart_date_validation}")
+        
+        try:
+            release_result = self.external_clients.get_release_date_by_priority(
+                imdb_id, 
+                config.release_date_priority,
+                enable_smart_validation=config.enable_smart_date_validation
+            )
+            _log("INFO", f"External clients result for {imdb_id}: {release_result}")
+            
+            if release_result:
+                _log("INFO", f"✅ Got release date: {release_result[0]} from {release_result[1]}")
+                return release_result[0], release_result[1]
+            else:
+                _log("WARNING", f"❌ No release date found from external clients for {imdb_id}")
+                return None, "release:none"
+        except Exception as e:
+            _log("ERROR", f"External clients error for {imdb_id}: {e}")
+            return None, f"release:error:{str(e)}"
     
     def _get_file_mtime_date(self, movie_path: Path) -> Tuple[str, str, Optional[str]]:
         """Get date from file modification time as last resort"""
@@ -1046,6 +1059,21 @@ async def debug_movie_import_date(imdb_id: str):
             # Use the global movie processor instance to test full decision logic
             global movie_processor
             if movie_processor:
+                # First check external clients configuration
+                _log("INFO", f"=== CHECKING EXTERNAL CLIENTS CONFIG ===")
+                try:
+                    tmdb_key = os.environ.get("TMDB_API_KEY", "")
+                    _log("INFO", f"TMDB API Key configured: {'✅ YES' if tmdb_key else '❌ NO'}")
+                    if tmdb_key:
+                        _log("INFO", f"TMDB API Key length: {len(tmdb_key)} chars")
+                    
+                    # Check if external clients exist
+                    external_clients_available = hasattr(movie_processor, 'external_clients') and movie_processor.external_clients
+                    _log("INFO", f"External clients initialized: {'✅ YES' if external_clients_available else '❌ NO'}")
+                    
+                except Exception as e:
+                    _log("ERROR", f"Error checking external clients config: {e}")
+                
                 # Test the full decision logic (including TMDB fallback)
                 final_date, final_source, released = movie_processor._decide_movie_dates(
                     imdb_id, dummy_path, should_query=True, existing=None