diff --git a/backend/image_transfer/encoder.py b/backend/image_transfer/encoder.py
index 9977ddae9..1718e1a4f 100644
--- a/backend/image_transfer/encoder.py
+++ b/backend/image_transfer/encoder.py
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@
 from typing import Optional
 from typing import Union
 
+import structlog
 from dxf import DXF
 from dxf import DXFBase
 from requests import HTTPError
-from tqdm import tqdm
 
 from image_transfer.common import Authenticator
 from image_transfer.common import Blob
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 from substrapp.docker_registry import RegistryPreconditionFailedException
 from substrapp.utils import safezip
 
+logger = structlog.get_logger("worker")
+
 
 def add_blobs_to_zip(
     dxf_base: DXFBase,
@@ -58,15 +60,23 @@ def add_blobs_to_zip(
 
 def download_blob_to_zip(dxf_base: DXFBase, blob: Blob, zip_file: safezip.ZipFile):
     repository_dxf = DXF.from_base(dxf_base, blob.repository)
-    bytes_iterator, total_size = repository_dxf.pull_blob(blob.digest, size=True)
+    try:
+        bytes_iterator, total_size = repository_dxf.pull_blob(blob.digest, size=True)
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.exception(f"Failed to download blob {blob}", e=e)
+        raise e
 
     # we write the blob directly to the zip file
-    with tqdm(total=total_size, unit="B", unit_scale=True) as pbar:
-        blob_path_in_zip = f"blobs/{blob.digest}"
+    blob_path_in_zip = f"blobs/{blob.digest}"
+    try:
         with zip_file.open(blob_path_in_zip, "w", force_zip64=True) as blob_in_zip:
             for chunk in bytes_iterator:
                 blob_in_zip.write(chunk)
-                pbar.update(len(chunk))
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.exception(f"Failed to write blob {blob} to zip file", e=e)
+        raise e
+
+    logger.info(f"Blob {blob} of size {total_size} downloaded and stored in zip file")
     return blob_path_in_zip
 
 
diff --git a/backend/requirements.txt b/backend/requirements.txt
index 3b8a16c18..c5ab6e394 100644
--- a/backend/requirements.txt
+++ b/backend/requirements.txt
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ django-filter==24.2
 pydantic==2.4.0
 redis==5.0.0
 mozilla-django-oidc==4.0.1
-tqdm==4.66.4
 python-dxf==12.1.0
 watchdog==2.1.9
 # Prevent error linked to Deprecation warnings
diff --git a/changes/990.removed b/changes/990.removed
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..86af537ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/990.removed
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+`tqdm` dependency, only used in logging