diff --git a/scripts/copy-node-modules.sh b/scripts/copy-node-modules.sh
index db997da95785..f49514b6def1 100755
--- a/scripts/copy-node-modules.sh
+++ b/scripts/copy-node-modules.sh
@@ -26,28 +26,33 @@ log ( ) {
 	echo -e "${COL_LOG}$* $COL_OFF"
 }
 
+# Print a command (prefixed with '+') and then run it, to aid in debugging.
+# This is just like `set -x`, except that `set -x` prints to STDERR, which is hidden
+# by GitHub Actions logs. This functions prints to STDOUT, which is visible.
+log_and_run ( ) {
+    log "+$*"
+    "$@"  # Joins arguments to form a command (quoting as necessary) and runs the command.
+}
+
 log "====================================================================================="
 log "Copying required assets from node_modules..."
 log "-------------------------------------------------------------------------------"
 
-# Start echoing all commands back to user for ease of debugging.
-set -x
-
 log "Ensuring vendor directories exist..."
-mkdir -p "$vendor_js"
-mkdir -p "$vendor_css"
+log_and_run mkdir -p "$vendor_js"
+log_and_run mkdir -p "$vendor_css"
 
 log "Copying studio-frontend JS & CSS from node_modules into vendor directores..."
 while read -r -d $'\0' src_file ; do
     if [[ "$src_file" = *.css ]] || [[ "$src_file" = *.css.map ]] ; then
-        cp --force "$src_file" "$vendor_css"
+        log_and_run cp --force "$src_file" "$vendor_css"
     else
-        cp --force "$src_file" "$vendor_js"
+        log_and_run cp --force "$src_file" "$vendor_js"
     fi
 done < <(find "$node_modules/@edx/studio-frontend/dist" -type f -print0)
 
 log "Copying certain JS modules from node_modules into vendor directory..."
-cp --force \
+log_and_run cp --force \
     "$node_modules/backbone.paginator/lib/backbone.paginator.js" \
     "$node_modules/backbone/backbone.js" \
     "$node_modules/bootstrap/dist/js/bootstrap.bundle.js" \
@@ -66,8 +71,8 @@ cp --force \
 
 log "Copying certain JS developer modules into vendor directory..."
 if [[ "${NODE_ENV:-production}" = development ]] ; then
-    cp --force "$node_modules/sinon/pkg/sinon.js" "$vendor_js"
-    cp --force "$node_modules/squirejs/src/Squire.js" "$vendor_js"
+    log_and_run cp --force "$node_modules/sinon/pkg/sinon.js" "$vendor_js"
+    log_and_run cp --force "$node_modules/squirejs/src/Squire.js" "$vendor_js"
 else
     # TODO: https://github.com/openedx/edx-platform/issues/31768
     # In the old implementation of this scipt (pavelib/assets.py), these two
@@ -77,13 +82,10 @@ else
     # However, in the future, it would be good to only copy them for dev
     # builds. Furthermore, these libraries should not be `npm install`ed
     # into prod builds in the first place.
-    cp --force "$node_modules/sinon/pkg/sinon.js" "$vendor_js" || true      # "|| true" means "tolerate errors"; in this case,
-    cp --force "$node_modules/squirejs/src/Squire.js" "$vendor_js" || true  # that's "tolerate if these files don't exist."
+    log_and_run cp --force "$node_modules/sinon/pkg/sinon.js" "$vendor_js" || true      # "|| true" means "tolerate errors"; in this case,
+    log_and_run cp --force "$node_modules/squirejs/src/Squire.js" "$vendor_js" || true  # that's "tolerate if these files don't exist."
 fi
 
-# Done echoing.
-set +x
-
 log "-------------------------------------------------------------------------------"
 log " Done copying required assets from node_modules."
 log "====================================================================================="