diff --git a/Script/CopyThread.py b/Script/CopyThread.py
index a51e1aa2027694ae5d5954b8262f8309a2580d71..f4012965d02af9576e861eb0869f5547eaa662bf 100644
--- a/Script/CopyThread.py
+++ b/Script/CopyThread.py
@@ -171,8 +171,10 @@ class CopyThread(threading.Thread):
                             nb_retries = copyfile[4]
 
                         if nb_retries >= self.conf.DBLookupMaxRetries:
-                            self.logger.critical('file not found in DB after %d retries: %s. '
-                                    'Manual intervention required', nb_retries, copyfile[0])
+                            self.logger.warning('file not found in DB after %d retries: %s ; '
+                                    'set as problematic.', nb_retries, copyfile[0])
+                            os.rename(copyfile[0] + Constants.tobecopied_ext,
+                                      copyfile[0] + Constants.problematic_ext)
                             self.ClearQueue.put(copyfile)
                         else:
                             self.logger.debug('file not found in DB after %d retries: %s. Will retry later.',
@@ -354,7 +356,7 @@ class CopyThread(threading.Thread):
                                                    CastorFile, pool)
                     self.dbLock.release()
                 elif self.conf.connection:
-                    self.logger.warning('No connection to Metadata database: database will not be updated for file %s', DataFile)
+                    self.logger.critical('No connection to Metadata database: database will not be updated for file %s', DataFile)
 
                 ##### Copy successfull: rename .data.COPYING in .data.COPIED #####
                 os.rename(DataFile + Constants.copying_ext,
diff --git a/Script/Database.py b/Script/Database.py
index b1485f02d3bca6c1d38a0dc71ce5c436150ac8b1..84d619e0ce88b7886a8d59c387738ff4d75d34d7 100644
--- a/Script/Database.py
+++ b/Script/Database.py
@@ -214,9 +214,8 @@ class Database:
         nrow = self.db.execute(args,keys)
 
         if nrow != 1:
-            self.logger.error('Transfer of file: ' + sfofile +
-                              ' in ' + castorfile +
-                              ' .Not exactly one entry updated in file table')
+            self.logger.critical('transfer of file %s to %s: not exactly one entry updated in file table (%s)',
+                    sfofile, castorfile, str(nrow))
         else:
             self.logger.debug('File table. File state updated to TRANSFERRED for file: ' + sfofile)
         # end if,else