diff --git a/bootstrap.sh b/bootstrap.sh
index a89df29..6cb402b 100755
--- a/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/bootstrap.sh
@@ -281,6 +281,12 @@ forgejo_ssh_key() {
   local token
   read -rsp "Forgejo access token (used once, not stored): " token
   echo
+  token="${token//[[:space:]]/}"
+  if [ -z "$token" ]; then
+    echo "Captured: empty (nothing came through - paste may not have worked in this terminal)"
+  else
+    echo "Captured: length=${#token} chars, ${token:0:4}...${token: -4}"
+  fi
 
   local tmpbody status
   tmpbody=$(mktemp)