diff --git a/crates/ipx/CHANGELOG.md b/crates/ipx/CHANGELOG.md
index c043fc6..8139189 100644
--- a/crates/ipx/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/crates/ipx/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Added
 
+- A Directory request's trace shows the call to the directory whole, with the size of its answer, and the steps that match it against your subscriptions (#250).
 - The page's report of how long a list took to show after a click (`list_shown`, with the view and filter) is logged under that click's trace (#246).
 
 ## [1.2.0] - 2026-10-15
diff --git a/crates/ipx/src/directory.rs b/crates/ipx/src/directory.rs
index ad3a840..9521950 100644
--- a/crates/ipx/src/directory.rs
+++ b/crates/ipx/src/directory.rs
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ pub fn configured(cfg: &config::Config) -> bool {
     target(cfg).is_some()
 }
 
+/// A span the whole call, its answer read and parsed included: the directory's own span ends when it
+/// has answered, so a slow read of a large answer showed under no span (#250).
+#[tracing::instrument(name = "directory_call", skip_all, fields(http.request.method = %method, url.path = %path.split('?').next().unwrap_or(path), http.response.body.size))]
 async fn call<T: DeserializeOwned>(ctx: &Ctx, method: reqwest::Method, path: &str, body: Option<&[SnapshotEntry]>) -> Result<T, DirError> {
     let (base, token) = target(&ctx.cfg()).ok_or(DirError::NotConfigured)?;
     let mut req = ctx.client.request(method, format!("{base}{path}")).bearer_auth(token).timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(20));
@@ -73,6 +76,7 @@ async fn call<T: DeserializeOwned>(ctx: &Ctx, method: reqwest::Method, path: &st
     }
     // A removal or an unblock answers 204, with nothing to read: that reads as null, which is ().
     let body = resp.bytes().await.map_err(|e| DirError::Unreachable(format!("{e:#}")))?;
+    tracing::Span::current().record("http.response.body.size", body.len());
     serde_json::from_slice(if body.is_empty() { b"null" } else { &body }).map_err(|e| DirError::Unreachable(format!("its answer did not read: {e:#}")))
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/ipx/src/web.rs b/crates/ipx/src/web.rs
index 49ad738..c44725c 100644
--- a/crates/ipx/src/web.rs
+++ b/crates/ipx/src/web.rs
@@ -831,14 +831,17 @@ fn dir_error(e: crate::directory::DirError) -> ApiError {
 /// The directory's listings as this person sees them: which are theirs already, matched by
 /// address, since the directory and this server name a feed differently.
 async fn rows_for(state: &WebState, user_id: i64, listed: Vec<ipx_directory::Listing>) -> Result<Vec<PopularRow>> {
+    // A step each, as the feed list has: a Directory page of 983 ms showed 19 under spans (#250).
     let mine: std::collections::HashSet<String> =
-        state.ctx.db.subscriptions_for(user_id).await?.into_iter().map(|s| s.feed_id).collect();
+        state.ctx.db.subscriptions_for(user_id).instrument(step("subscriptions")).await?.into_iter().map(|s| s.feed_id).collect();
     let here: std::collections::HashMap<String, String> = crate::subscriptions(&state.ctx)
+        .instrument(step("catalogue"))
         .await?
         .into_iter()
         .filter(|s| mine.contains(&s.id))
         .filter_map(|s| ipx_directory::store::normalise(&s.cfg.url).map(|u| (u, s.id)))
         .collect();
+    let _matching = step("match").entered();
     Ok(listed
         .into_iter()
         .map(|l| {