diff --git a/api/internal/managers/app/install/install.go b/api/internal/managers/app/install/install.go
index acd20a852c..97b73646c1 100644
--- a/api/internal/managers/app/install/install.go
+++ b/api/internal/managers/app/install/install.go
@@ -49,14 +49,8 @@ func (m *appInstallManager) Install(ctx context.Context, installableCharts []typ
 }
 
 func (m *appInstallManager) install(ctx context.Context, installableCharts []types.InstallableHelmChart, kotsConfigValues kotsv1beta1.ConfigValues) error {
-	license := &kotsv1beta1.License{}
-	if err := kyaml.Unmarshal(m.license, license); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("parse license: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	// Setup Helm client
-	if err := m.setupHelmClient(); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("setup helm client: %w", err)
+	if err := m.installKots(kotsConfigValues); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("install kots: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Install Helm charts
@@ -64,6 +58,15 @@ func (m *appInstallManager) install(ctx context.Context, installableCharts []typ
 		return fmt.Errorf("install helm charts: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (m *appInstallManager) installKots(kotsConfigValues kotsv1beta1.ConfigValues) error {
+	license := &kotsv1beta1.License{}
+	if err := kyaml.Unmarshal(m.license, license); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("parse license: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	ecDomains := utils.GetDomains(m.releaseData)
 
 	installOpts := kotscli.InstallOptions{
@@ -83,11 +86,25 @@ func (m *appInstallManager) install(ctx context.Context, installableCharts []typ
 	}
 	installOpts.ConfigValuesFile = configValuesFile
 
+	logFn := m.logFn("app")
+
+	logFn("preparing the app for installation")
+
 	if m.kotsCLI != nil {
-		return m.kotsCLI.Install(installOpts)
+		err := m.kotsCLI.Install(installOpts)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("install kots: %w", err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		err := kotscli.Install(installOpts)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("install kots: %w", err)
+		}
 	}
 
-	return kotscli.Install(installOpts)
+	logFn("successfully prepared the app for installation")
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 // createConfigValuesFile creates a temporary file with the config values
@@ -119,6 +136,11 @@ func (m *appInstallManager) installHelmCharts(ctx context.Context, installableCh
 		return fmt.Errorf("no helm charts found")
 	}
 
+	// Setup Helm client
+	if err := m.setupHelmClient(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("setup helm client: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	logFn("installing %d helm charts", len(installableCharts))
 
 	for _, installableChart := range installableCharts {
@@ -132,6 +154,8 @@ func (m *appInstallManager) installHelmCharts(ctx context.Context, installableCh
 		logFn("successfully installed %s chart", chartName)
 	}
 
+	logFn("successfully installed all %d helm charts", len(installableCharts))
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/api/internal/managers/app/install/install_test.go b/api/internal/managers/app/install/install_test.go
index bf089e294e..9ea185f898 100644
--- a/api/internal/managers/app/install/install_test.go
+++ b/api/internal/managers/app/install/install_test.go
@@ -257,7 +257,11 @@ func TestAppInstallManager_Install(t *testing.T) {
 			return opts.ChartPath != "" && opts.ReleaseName == "fluentd" && opts.Namespace == "logging"
 		})).Return((*helmrelease.Release)(nil), assert.AnError)
 
-		// Create manager with initialized store (no need for KOTS installer mock since Helm fails first)
+		// Create mock installer that succeeds (so we get to Helm charts)
+		mockInstaller := &MockKotsCLIInstaller{}
+		mockInstaller.On("Install", mock.Anything).Return(nil)
+
+		// Create manager with initialized store
 		store := appinstallstore.NewMemoryStore(appinstallstore.WithAppInstall(types.AppInstall{
 			Status: types.Status{State: types.StatePending},
 		}))
@@ -266,6 +270,7 @@ func TestAppInstallManager_Install(t *testing.T) {
 			WithClusterID("test-cluster"),
 			WithReleaseData(releaseData),
 			WithK8sVersion("v1.33.0"),
+			WithKotsCLI(mockInstaller),
 			WithHelmClient(mockHelmClient),
 			WithLogger(logger.NewDiscardLogger()),
 			WithAppInstallStore(store),
@@ -282,6 +287,7 @@ func TestAppInstallManager_Install(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, types.StateFailed, appInstall.Status.State)
 		assert.Contains(t, appInstall.Status.Description, "install helm charts")
 
+		mockInstaller.AssertExpectations(t)
 		mockHelmClient.AssertExpectations(t)
 	})
 
@@ -491,6 +497,10 @@ func TestComponentStatusTracking(t *testing.T) {
 			return opts.ReleaseName == "failing-app"
 		})).Return((*helmrelease.Release)(nil), errors.New("helm install failed"))
 
+		// Create mock installer that succeeds (so we get to Helm charts)
+		mockInstaller := &MockKotsCLIInstaller{}
+		mockInstaller.On("Install", mock.Anything).Return(nil)
+
 		// Create manager with in-memory store
 		appInstallStore := appinstallstore.NewMemoryStore(appinstallstore.WithAppInstall(types.AppInstall{
 			Status: types.Status{State: types.StatePending},
@@ -501,6 +511,7 @@ func TestComponentStatusTracking(t *testing.T) {
 			WithK8sVersion("v1.33.0"),
 			WithLicense([]byte(`{"spec":{"appSlug":"test-app"}}`)),
 			WithClusterID("test-cluster"),
+			WithKotsCLI(mockInstaller),
 			WithHelmClient(mockHelmClient),
 		)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -525,6 +536,7 @@ func TestComponentStatusTracking(t *testing.T) {
 		// Overall status should be failed
 		assert.Equal(t, types.StateFailed, appInstall.Status.State)
 
+		mockInstaller.AssertExpectations(t)
 		mockHelmClient.AssertExpectations(t)
 	})
 }