diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index a7432ef..0b7f02d 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ type config struct {
 	usersToListenTo     []string
 	requiredIssueLabels []string
 	waitDuration        time.Duration
+	debugDir            string
 }
 
 func getConfig() config {
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ func getConfig() config {
 		usersToListenTo:     viper.GetStringSlice("users-to-listen-to"),
 		requiredIssueLabels: viper.GetStringSlice("required-issue-labels"),
 		waitDuration:        viper.GetDuration("wait-duration"),
+		debugDir:            viper.GetString("debug-dir"),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -79,6 +81,7 @@ func getPullPal(ctx context.Context, cfg config) (*pullpal.PullPal, error) {
 		// TODO configurable model
 		Model:       openai.GPT4,
 		OpenAIToken: cfg.openAIToken,
+		DebugDir:    cfg.debugDir,
 	}
 	p, err := pullpal.NewPullPal(ctx, log.Named("pullpal"), ppCfg)
 
@@ -135,6 +138,7 @@ func init() {
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringSliceP("users-to-listen-to", "a", []string{}, "a list of Github users that Pull Pal will respond to")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringSliceP("required-issue-labels", "i", []string{}, "a list of labels that are required for Pull Pal to select an issue")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Duration("wait-time", 30*time.Second, "the amount of time Pull Pal should wait when no issues or comments are found to address")
+	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringP("debug-dir", "d", "", "the path to use for the pull pal debug directory")
 
 	viper.BindPFlag("handle", rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("handle"))
 	viper.BindPFlag("email", rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("email"))
@@ -148,6 +152,7 @@ func init() {
 	viper.BindPFlag("users-to-listen-to", rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("users-to-listen-to"))
 	viper.BindPFlag("required-issue-labels", rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("required-issue-labels"))
 	viper.BindPFlag("wait-time", rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("wait-time"))
+	viper.BindPFlag("debug-dir", rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("debug-dir"))
 }
 
 func initConfig() {
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 49e65a0..0fc92de 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.1
 	go.uber.org/zap v1.24.0
 	golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.7.0
+	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1
 )
 
 require (
@@ -53,5 +54,4 @@ require (
 	google.golang.org/protobuf v1.28.1 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/ini.v1 v1.67.0 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/warnings.v0 v0.1.2 // indirect
-	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 // indirect
 )
diff --git a/llm/common.go b/llm/common.go
index 039d0df..065b23a 100644
--- a/llm/common.go
+++ b/llm/common.go
@@ -1,13 +1,9 @@
 package llm
 
-import (
-	"strings"
-)
-
 // File represents a file in a git repository.
 type File struct {
-	Path     string
-	Contents string
+	Path     string `yaml:"path"`
+	Contents string `yaml:"contents"`
 }
 
 type ResponseType int
@@ -28,8 +24,8 @@ type CodeChangeRequest struct {
 
 // CodeChangeResponse contains data derived from an LLM response to a prompt generated via a CodeChangeRequest.
 type CodeChangeResponse struct {
-	Files []File
-	Notes string
+	Files []File `yaml:"files"`
+	Notes string `yaml:"notes"`
 }
 
 // TODO support threads
@@ -37,45 +33,11 @@ type DiffCommentRequest struct {
 	File     File
 	Contents string
 	Diff     string
+	PRNumber int
 }
 
 type DiffCommentResponse struct {
-	Type   ResponseType
-	Answer string
-	File   File
-}
-
-// parseFiles process the "files" subsection of the LLM's response. It is a helper for GetCodeChangeResponse.
-func parseFiles(filesSection string) []File {
-	fileStringList := strings.Split(filesSection, "ppname:")
-	if len(fileStringList) < 2 {
-		return []File{}
-	}
-	// first item in the list is just gonna be "Files:"
-	fileStringList = fileStringList[1:]
-
-	replacer := strings.NewReplacer(
-		"\\n", "\n",
-		"\\\"", "\"",
-		"```", "",
-	)
-	fileList := make([]File, len(fileStringList))
-	for i, f := range fileStringList {
-		fileParts := strings.Split(f, "ppcontents:")
-		if len(fileParts) < 2 {
-			continue
-		}
-		path := replacer.Replace(fileParts[0])
-		path = strings.TrimSpace(path)
-
-		contents := replacer.Replace(fileParts[1])
-		contents = strings.TrimSpace(contents)
-
-		fileList[i] = File{
-			Path:     path,
-			Contents: contents,
-		}
-	}
-
-	return fileList
+	Type     ResponseType `yaml:"responseType"`
+	Response string       `yaml:"response"`
+	File     File         `yaml:"file"`
 }
diff --git a/llm/diffcomment.go b/llm/diffcomment.go
index 468e8f4..f343597 100644
--- a/llm/diffcomment.go
+++ b/llm/diffcomment.go
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@ package llm
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
-	"strings"
 	"text/template"
+
+	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 )
 
 func (req DiffCommentRequest) String() string {
@@ -40,14 +41,14 @@ func (res DiffCommentResponse) String() string {
 	out := ""
 	if res.Type == ResponseAnswer {
 		out += "Type: Answer\n"
-		out += res.Answer
+		out += res.Response
 		return out
 	}
 
 	out += "Type: Code Change\n"
 
 	out += "Response:\n"
-	out += res.Answer + "\n\n"
+	out += res.Response + "\n\n"
 	out += "Files:\n"
 	out += res.File.Path + ":\n```\n"
 	out += res.File.Contents + "\n```\n"
@@ -55,36 +56,8 @@ func (res DiffCommentResponse) String() string {
 	return out
 }
 
-func ParseDiffCommentResponse(llmResponse string) DiffCommentResponse {
-	llmResponse = strings.TrimSpace(llmResponse)
-	if llmResponse[0] == 'A' {
-		answer := strings.TrimSpace(llmResponse[1:])
-		return DiffCommentResponse{
-			Type:   ResponseAnswer,
-			Answer: answer,
-		}
-	}
-	parts := strings.Split(llmResponse, "ppresponse:")
-
-	filesSection := ""
-	if len(parts) > 0 {
-		filesSection = parts[0]
-	}
-
-	answer := ""
-	if len(parts) > 1 {
-		answer = strings.TrimSpace(parts[1])
-	}
-
-	files := parseFiles(filesSection)
-	f := File{}
-	if len(files) > 0 {
-		f = files[0]
-	}
-
-	return DiffCommentResponse{
-		Type:   ResponseCodeChange,
-		Answer: answer,
-		File:   f,
-	}
+func ParseDiffCommentResponse(llmResponse string) (DiffCommentResponse, error) {
+	var response DiffCommentResponse
+	err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(llmResponse), &response)
+	return response, err
 }
diff --git a/llm/issue.go b/llm/issue.go
index 15d78ed..063f4a6 100644
--- a/llm/issue.go
+++ b/llm/issue.go
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@ package llm
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
-	"strings"
 	"text/template"
+
+	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 )
 
 // String is the string representation of a CodeChangeRequest. Functionally, it contains the LLM prompt.
@@ -50,22 +51,8 @@ func (res CodeChangeResponse) String() string {
 }
 
 // ParseCodeChangeResponse parses the LLM's response to CodeChangeRequest (string) into a CodeChangeResponse.
-func ParseCodeChangeResponse(llmResponse string) CodeChangeResponse {
-	sections := strings.Split(llmResponse, "ppnotes:")
-
-	filesSection := ""
-	if len(sections) > 0 {
-		filesSection = sections[0]
-	}
-	notes := ""
-	if len(sections) > 1 {
-		notes = strings.TrimSpace(sections[1])
-	}
-
-	files := parseFiles(filesSection)
-
-	return CodeChangeResponse{
-		Files: files,
-		Notes: notes,
-	}
+func ParseCodeChangeResponse(llmResponse string) (CodeChangeResponse, error) {
+	var response CodeChangeResponse
+	err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(llmResponse), &response)
+	return response, err
 }
diff --git a/llm/openai.go b/llm/openai.go
index 2c3fed1..4f1816c 100644
--- a/llm/openai.go
+++ b/llm/openai.go
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@ package llm
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"path"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/sashabaranov/go-openai"
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
@@ -10,14 +15,16 @@ import (
 type OpenAIClient struct {
 	log          *zap.Logger
 	client       *openai.Client
+	debugDir     string
 	defaultModel string
 }
 
-func NewOpenAIClient(log *zap.Logger, defaultModel, token string) *OpenAIClient {
+func NewOpenAIClient(log *zap.Logger, defaultModel, token, debugDir string) *OpenAIClient {
 	return &OpenAIClient{
 		log:          log,
 		client:       openai.NewClient(token),
 		defaultModel: defaultModel,
+		debugDir:     debugDir,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -44,10 +51,13 @@ func (oc *OpenAIClient) EvaluateCCR(ctx context.Context, model string, req CodeC
 
 	choice := resp.Choices[0].Message.Content
 
-	// TODO make debug log when I figure out how to config that
-	oc.log.Info("got response from llm", zap.String("output", choice))
+	oc.log.Info("got response from llm")
 
-	return ParseCodeChangeResponse(choice), nil
+	debugFilePrefix := fmt.Sprintf("%d-%d", req.IssueNumber, time.Now().Unix())
+	oc.writeDebug("codechangeresponse", debugFilePrefix+"-req.txt", req.String())
+	oc.writeDebug("codechangeresponse", debugFilePrefix+"-res.yaml", choice)
+
+	return ParseCodeChangeResponse(choice)
 }
 
 func (oc *OpenAIClient) EvaluateDiffComment(ctx context.Context, model string, req DiffCommentRequest) (res DiffCommentResponse, err error) {
@@ -73,8 +83,33 @@ func (oc *OpenAIClient) EvaluateDiffComment(ctx context.Context, model string, r
 
 	choice := resp.Choices[0].Message.Content
 
-	// TODO make debug log when I figure out how to config that
 	oc.log.Info("got response from llm", zap.String("output", choice))
 
-	return ParseDiffCommentResponse(choice), nil
+	debugFilePrefix := fmt.Sprintf("%d-%d", req.PRNumber, time.Now().Unix())
+	oc.writeDebug("diffcommentresponse", debugFilePrefix+"-req.txt", req.String())
+	oc.writeDebug("diffcommentresponse", debugFilePrefix+"-res.yaml", choice)
+
+	return ParseDiffCommentResponse(choice)
+}
+
+func (oc *OpenAIClient) writeDebug(subdir, filename, contents string) {
+	if oc.debugDir == "" {
+		return
+	}
+
+	fullFolderPath := path.Join(oc.debugDir, subdir)
+
+	err := os.MkdirAll(fullFolderPath, os.ModePerm)
+	if err != nil {
+		oc.log.Error("failed to ensure debug directory existed", zap.String("folderpath", fullFolderPath), zap.Error(err))
+		return
+	}
+
+	fullPath := path.Join(fullFolderPath, filename)
+	err = ioutil.WriteFile(fullPath, []byte(contents), 0644)
+	if err != nil {
+		oc.log.Error("failed to write response to debug file", zap.String("filepath", fullPath), zap.Error(err))
+		return
+	}
+	oc.log.Info("response written to debug file", zap.String("filepath", fullPath))
 }
diff --git a/llm/prompts/code-change-request.tmpl b/llm/prompts/code-change-request.tmpl
index 923ca6b..923eb3e 100644
--- a/llm/prompts/code-change-request.tmpl
+++ b/llm/prompts/code-change-request.tmpl
@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@ Subject: {{ .Subject }}
 Body:
 {{ .Body }}
 
-Respond in the exact format:
-Files:
+Respond in a parseable YAML format based on the following template. Respond only with YAML, and nothing else:
+files:
 {{ range $index, $file := .Files }}
-ppname: {{ $file.Path }}
-ppcontents:
-[new {{ $file.Path }} contents]
+  -
+    path: {{ $file.Path }}
+    contents: |
+      [new {{ $file.Path }} contents]
 {{ end }}
-
-ppnotes:
-[additional context about your changes]
+notes: |
+  [additional context about your changes]
diff --git a/llm/prompts/comment-diff-request.tmpl b/llm/prompts/comment-diff-request.tmpl
index 9499023..eddd559 100644
--- a/llm/prompts/comment-diff-request.tmpl
+++ b/llm/prompts/comment-diff-request.tmpl
@@ -16,19 +16,20 @@ Comment:
 The above is information about a comment left on a file. The diff contains information about the precise location of the comment.
 
 First, determine if the comment is a question or a request for changes.
-If the comment is a question, come up with an answer, and respond exactly as outlined directly below "Response Template A", starting with "Q".
-If the comment is a request, modify the file provided at the beginning of the message, and respond exactly as outlined directly below "Response Template B", starting with "R".
+If the comment is a question, come up with an answer, and respond exactly as outlined directly below "Response Template A".
+If the comment is a request, modify the file provided at the beginning of the message, and respond exactly as outlined directly below "Response Template B".
+For either response template, respond in a parseable YAML format. Respond only with YAML, and nothing else.
 
 Response Template A:
-Q
-[your answer]
+responseType: 0
+response: |
+  [your answer]
 
 Response Template B:
-R
-Files:
-ppname: {{ .File.Path }}
-ppcontents:
-[new {{ .File.Path }} contents]
-
-ppresponse:
-[additional context about your changes]
+responseType: 1
+file:
+  path: {{ .File.Path }}
+  contents: |
+    [new {{ .File.Path }} contents]
+response: |
+  [additional context about your changes]
diff --git a/pullpal/common.go b/pullpal/common.go
index 81555ca..b94e329 100644
--- a/pullpal/common.go
+++ b/pullpal/common.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	ListIssueOptions vc.ListIssueOptions
 	Model            string
 	OpenAIToken      string
+	DebugDir         string
 }
 
 // PullPal is the service responsible for:
@@ -54,11 +55,10 @@ type pullPalRepo struct {
 
 // NewPullPal creates a new "pull pal service", including setting up local version control and LLM integrations.
 func NewPullPal(ctx context.Context, log *zap.Logger, cfg Config) (*PullPal, error) {
-	openAIClient := llm.NewOpenAIClient(log.Named("openaiClient"), cfg.Model, cfg.OpenAIToken)
+	openAIClient := llm.NewOpenAIClient(log.Named("openaiClient"), cfg.Model, cfg.OpenAIToken, cfg.DebugDir)
 
 	ppRepos := []pullPalRepo{}
 	for _, r := range cfg.Repos {
-		fmt.Println(r)
 		parts := strings.Split(r, "/")
 		if len(parts) < 3 {
 			continue
@@ -66,9 +66,6 @@ func NewPullPal(ctx context.Context, log *zap.Logger, cfg Config) (*PullPal, err
 		host := parts[0]
 		owner := parts[1]
 		name := parts[2]
-		fmt.Println(host)
-		fmt.Println(owner)
-		fmt.Println(name)
 		newRepo := vc.Repository{
 			LocalPath:  filepath.Join(cfg.LocalRepoPath, owner, name),
 			HostDomain: host,
@@ -81,7 +78,7 @@ func NewPullPal(ctx context.Context, log *zap.Logger, cfg Config) (*PullPal, err
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		localGitClient, err := vc.NewLocalGitClient(log.Named("gitclient-"+r), cfg.Self, newRepo)
+		localGitClient, err := vc.NewLocalGitClient(log.Named("gitclient-"+r), cfg.Self, newRepo, cfg.DebugDir)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -145,7 +142,6 @@ func (p pullPalRepo) checkIssuesAndComments() error {
 		issue := issues[0]
 		err = p.handleIssue(issue)
 		if err != nil {
-			// TODO leave comment if error (make configurable)
 			p.log.Error("error handling issue", zap.Error(err))
 			commentText := fmt.Sprintf("I ran into a problem working on this:\n```\n%s\n```", err.Error())
 			err = p.ghClient.CommentOnIssue(issue.Number, commentText)
@@ -173,7 +169,6 @@ func (p pullPalRepo) checkIssuesAndComments() error {
 		comment := comments[0]
 		err = p.handleComment(comment)
 		if err != nil {
-			// TODO leave comment if error (make configurable)
 			p.log.Error("error handling comment", zap.Error(err))
 			commentText := fmt.Sprintf("I ran into a problem working on this:\n```\n%s\n```", err.Error())
 			err = p.ghClient.RespondToComment(comment.PRNumber, comment.ID, commentText)
@@ -187,11 +182,7 @@ func (p pullPalRepo) checkIssuesAndComments() error {
 }
 
 func (p *pullPalRepo) handleIssue(issue vc.Issue) error {
-	err := p.ghClient.CommentOnIssue(issue.Number, "working on it")
-	if err != nil {
-		p.log.Error("error commenting on issue", zap.Error(err))
-		return err
-	}
+	// remove labels from issue so that it is not picked up again until labels are reapplied
 	for _, label := range p.listIssueOptions.Labels {
 		err = p.ghClient.RemoveLabelFromIssue(issue.Number, label)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -236,7 +227,6 @@ func (p *pullPalRepo) handleIssue(issue vc.Issue) error {
 	}
 
 	// open code change request
-	// TODO don't hardcode main branch, make configurable
 	_, url, err := p.ghClient.OpenCodeChangeRequest(changeRequest, changeResponse, newBranchName)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -260,6 +250,7 @@ func (p *pullPalRepo) handleComment(comment vc.Comment) error {
 		File:     file,
 		Contents: comment.Body,
 		Diff:     comment.DiffHunk,
+		PRNumber: comment.PRNumber,
 	}
 	p.log.Info("diff comment request", zap.String("req", diffCommentRequest.String()))
 
@@ -298,7 +289,7 @@ func (p *pullPalRepo) handleComment(comment vc.Comment) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	err = p.ghClient.RespondToComment(comment.PRNumber, comment.ID, diffCommentResponse.Answer)
+	err = p.ghClient.RespondToComment(comment.PRNumber, comment.ID, diffCommentResponse.Response)
 	if err != nil {
 		p.log.Error("error commenting on issue", zap.Error(err))
 		return err
diff --git a/vc/common.go b/vc/common.go
index 3defc64..9b9e6b2 100644
--- a/vc/common.go
+++ b/vc/common.go
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ func ParseIssueBody(body string) IssueBody {
 	issueBody := IssueBody{
 		BaseBranch: "main",
 	}
+	// TODO get rid of parsing like this - "---" may occur in the normal issue body
 	divider := "---"
 
 	parts := strings.Split(body, divider)
diff --git a/vc/git.go b/vc/git.go
index dcff668..48cfde6 100644
--- a/vc/git.go
+++ b/vc/git.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"go/format"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
+	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -27,10 +28,11 @@ type LocalGitClient struct {
 	repo Repository
 
 	worktree *git.Worktree
+	debugDir string
 }
 
 // NewLocalGitClient initializes a local git client by checking out a repository locally.
-func NewLocalGitClient(log *zap.Logger, self Author, repo Repository) (*LocalGitClient, error) {
+func NewLocalGitClient(log *zap.Logger, self Author, repo Repository, debugDir string) (*LocalGitClient, error) {
 	log.Info("checking out local github repo", zap.String("repo name", repo.Name), zap.String("local path", repo.LocalPath))
 	// clone provided repository to local path
 	if repo.LocalPath == "" {
@@ -57,9 +59,10 @@ func NewLocalGitClient(log *zap.Logger, self Author, repo Repository) (*LocalGit
 	repo.localRepo = localRepo
 
 	return &LocalGitClient{
-		log:  log,
-		self: self,
-		repo: repo,
+		log:      log,
+		self:     self,
+		repo:     repo,
+		debugDir: debugDir,
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -239,6 +242,7 @@ func (gc *LocalGitClient) ParseIssueAndStartCommit(issue Issue) (llm.CodeChangeR
 	}
 
 	issueBody := ParseIssueBody(issue.Body)
+	gc.log.Info("issue body info", zap.Any("files", issueBody.FilePaths))
 
 	// start a worktree
 	err := gc.StartCommit()
@@ -264,11 +268,38 @@ func (gc *LocalGitClient) ParseIssueAndStartCommit(issue Issue) (llm.CodeChangeR
 		files = append(files, nextFile)
 	}
 
-	return llm.CodeChangeRequest{
+	req := llm.CodeChangeRequest{
 		Subject:     issue.Subject,
 		Body:        issueBody.PromptBody,
 		IssueNumber: issue.Number,
 		Files:       files,
 		BaseBranch:  issueBody.BaseBranch,
-	}, nil
+	}
+	debugFileNamePrefix := fmt.Sprintf("issue-%d-%d", issue.Number, time.Now().Unix())
+	gc.writeDebug("issues", debugFileNamePrefix+"-originalbody.txt", issue.Body)
+	gc.writeDebug("issues", debugFileNamePrefix+"-parsed-req.txt", req.String())
+
+	return req, nil
+}
+
+func (gc *LocalGitClient) writeDebug(subdir, filename, contents string) {
+	if gc.debugDir == "" {
+		return
+	}
+
+	fullFolderPath := path.Join(gc.debugDir, subdir)
+
+	err := os.MkdirAll(fullFolderPath, os.ModePerm)
+	if err != nil {
+		gc.log.Error("failed to ensure debug directory existed", zap.String("folderpath", fullFolderPath), zap.Error(err))
+		return
+	}
+
+	fullPath := path.Join(fullFolderPath, filename)
+	err = ioutil.WriteFile(fullPath, []byte(contents), 0644)
+	if err != nil {
+		gc.log.Error("failed to write response to debug file", zap.String("filepath", fullPath), zap.Error(err))
+		return
+	}
+	gc.log.Info("response written to debug file", zap.String("filepath", fullPath))
 }