diff --git a/apiserver/server.py b/apiserver/server.py
index edb32d8..be7022e 100644
--- a/apiserver/server.py
+++ b/apiserver/server.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-import logging
+import os, logging
+DEBUG = os.environ.get('DEBUG')
 logging.basicConfig(
         format='%(asctime)s - %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s',
-        level=logging.INFO)
+        level=logging.DEBUG if DEBUG else logging.INFO)
 
 import gevent
 from gevent import monkey
@@ -61,10 +62,17 @@ def apisearch():
     res.headers['content-type'] = 'application/json'
     return res
 
+
 @flask_app.route('/api/submit', methods=['POST'], strict_slashes=False)
 def submit():
     try:
         url = request.form['url']
+        for prefix in ['http://', 'https://']:
+            if url.lower().startswith(prefix):
+                break
+        else:  # for
+            url = 'http://' + url
+
         nid = new_id()
 
         logging.info('Manual submission: ' + url)
@@ -89,7 +97,7 @@ def submit():
             ref = url
 
         existing = database.get_story_by_ref(ref)
-        if existing:
+        if existing and not DEBUG:
             return {'nid': existing.sid}
         else:
             story = dict(id=nid, ref=ref, source=source)
@@ -97,6 +105,11 @@ def submit():
             if valid:
                 database.put_story(story)
                 search.put_story(story)
+
+                if DEBUG:
+                    logging.info('Adding manual ref: {}, id: {}, source: {}'.format(ref, nid, source))
+                    database.put_ref(ref, nid, source)
+
                 return {'nid': nid}
             else:
                 raise Exception('Invalid article')