diff --git a/hermes_cli/profiles.py b/hermes_cli/profiles.py
index 32ed22a11c..3f42e7be31 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/profiles.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/profiles.py
@@ -1987,14 +1987,17 @@ def _migrate_honcho_profile_host(old_name: str, new_name: str, new_dir: Path) ->
 
 def _record_profile_rename(new_dir: Path, old_canon: str) -> None:
     """Append ``old_canon`` to the renamed profile's ``previous_names`` history.
-    Best-effort: never raises, so a metadata write failure cannot fail the rename."""
+    Best-effort: never raises, so a metadata write failure cannot fail the rename.
+
+    Only reached for a real slug change — ``rename_profile`` returns early for the
+    default profile (display-name only) and refuses ``old == new`` (target exists)."""
     try:
         history = read_profile_meta(new_dir).get("previous_names") or []
         if old_canon not in history:
             history = [*history, old_canon]
         write_profile_meta(new_dir, previous_names=history)
-    except Exception:
-        pass
+    except Exception as exc:  # unwritable / corrupt profile.yaml — history is advisory
+        logger.debug("profile rename: could not record previous name %r in %s: %s", old_canon, new_dir, exc)
 
 
 def rename_profile(old_name: str, new_name: str) -> Path: