diff --git a/command/meta_backend.go b/command/meta_backend.go
index 5ce527dbc5..f519ebcec2 100644
--- a/command/meta_backend.go
+++ b/command/meta_backend.go
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ func (m *Meta) BackendForPlan(settings plans.Backend) (backend.Enhanced, tfdiags
 		return nil, diags
 	}
 	b := f()
+	log.Printf("[TRACE] Meta.BackendForPlan: instantiated backend of type %T", b)
 
 	schema := b.ConfigSchema()
 	configVal, err := settings.Config.Decode(schema.ImpliedType())
@@ -204,11 +205,13 @@ func (m *Meta) BackendForPlan(settings plans.Backend) (backend.Enhanced, tfdiags
 	// If the result of loading the backend is an enhanced backend,
 	// then return that as-is. This works even if b == nil (it will be !ok).
 	if enhanced, ok := b.(backend.Enhanced); ok {
+		log.Printf("[TRACE] Meta.BackendForPlan: backend %T supports operations", b)
 		return enhanced, nil
 	}
 
 	// Otherwise, we'll wrap our state-only remote backend in the local backend
 	// to cause any operations to be run locally.
+	log.Printf("[TRACE] Meta.Backend: backend %T does not support operations, so wrapping it in a local backend", b)
 	cliOpts := m.backendCLIOpts()
 	cliOpts.Validation = false // don't validate here in case config contains file(...) calls where the file doesn't exist
 	local := backendLocal.NewWithBackend(b)
diff --git a/command/meta_backend_test.go b/command/meta_backend_test.go
index d837eaff94..2adfbabb62 100644
--- a/command/meta_backend_test.go
+++ b/command/meta_backend_test.go
@@ -1549,7 +1549,7 @@ func TestMetaBackend_planLocalStatePath(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	backendConfig := plans.Backend{
+	plannedBackend := plans.Backend{
 		Type:      "local",
 		Config:    backendConfigRaw,
 		Workspace: "default",
@@ -1569,7 +1569,7 @@ func TestMetaBackend_planLocalStatePath(t *testing.T) {
 	m.stateOutPath = statePath
 
 	// Get the backend
-	b, diags := m.BackendForPlan(backendConfig)
+	b, diags := m.BackendForPlan(plannedBackend)
 	if diags.HasErrors() {
 		t.Fatal(diags.Err())
 	}
@@ -1583,10 +1583,9 @@ func TestMetaBackend_planLocalStatePath(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %s", err)
 	}
 	state := s.State()
-	if state == nil {
-		t.Fatal("state is nil")
+	if state != nil {
+		t.Fatal("default workspace state is not nil, but should be because we've not put anything there")
 	}
-	assertStateHasMarker(t, state, mark)
 
 	// Verify the default path doesn't exist
 	if _, err := os.Stat(DefaultStateFilename); err == nil {