diff --git a/satellite/repair/checker/observer.go b/satellite/repair/checker/observer.go
index dce09e32e..03441e00e 100644
--- a/satellite/repair/checker/observer.go
+++ b/satellite/repair/checker/observer.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package checker
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"reflect"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 
 	"storj.io/common/storj"
 	"storj.io/common/uuid"
+	"storj.io/storj/satellite/metabase"
 	"storj.io/storj/satellite/metabase/rangedloop"
 	"storj.io/storj/satellite/overlay"
 	"storj.io/storj/satellite/repair"
@@ -387,7 +389,8 @@ func (fork *observerFork) process(ctx context.Context, segment *rangedloop.Segme
 		}
 
 		// monitor irreparable segments
-		if numHealthy < required {
+		numRetrievable := len(pieces) - len(missingPieces)
+		if numRetrievable < required {
 			if !slices.Contains(fork.totalStats.objectsLost, segment.StreamID) {
 				fork.totalStats.objectsLost = append(fork.totalStats.objectsLost, segment.StreamID)
 			}
@@ -423,6 +426,16 @@ func (fork *observerFork) process(ctx context.Context, segment *rangedloop.Segme
 			}
 			fork.log.Warn("checker found irreparable segment", zap.String("Segment StreamID", segment.StreamID.String()), zap.Int("Segment Position",
 				int(segment.Position.Encode())), zap.Int("total pieces", len(pieces)), zap.Int("min required", required), zap.String("unhealthy node IDs", strings.Join(unhealthyNodes, ",")))
+		} else if numRetrievable > repairThreshold {
+			// This segment is to be repaired because of clumping (it wouldn't need repair yet
+			// otherwise). Produce a brief report of where the clumping occurred so that we have
+			// a better understanding of the cause.
+			clumpedNets := clumpingReport{
+				clumpedPieces: clumpedPieces,
+				allPieces:     segment.Pieces,
+				lastNets:      lastNets,
+			}
+			fork.log.Info("segment needs repair because of clumping", zap.Stringer("Segment StreamID", segment.StreamID), zap.Uint64("Segment Position", segment.Position.Encode()), zap.Int("total pieces", len(pieces)), zap.Int("min required", required), zap.Stringer("clumping", &clumpedNets))
 		}
 	} else {
 		if numHealthy > repairThreshold && numHealthy <= (repairThreshold+len(fork.totalStats.remoteSegmentsOverThreshold)) {
@@ -450,3 +463,30 @@ func (fork *observerFork) process(ctx context.Context, segment *rangedloop.Segme
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+type clumpingReport struct {
+	clumpedPieces metabase.Pieces
+	allPieces     metabase.Pieces
+	lastNets      []string
+}
+
+// String produces the clumping report. In case the satellite isn't logging at the required level,
+// we avoid doing the work of building the report until String() is called.
+func (cr *clumpingReport) String() string {
+	clumpedNets := make(map[string]int)
+	for _, clumpedPiece := range cr.clumpedPieces {
+		lastNet := ""
+		for i, piece := range cr.allPieces {
+			if piece.Number == clumpedPiece.Number && piece.StorageNode.Compare(clumpedPiece.StorageNode) == 0 {
+				lastNet = cr.lastNets[i]
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		clumpedNets[lastNet]++
+	}
+	counts := make([]string, 0, len(clumpedNets))
+	for clumpedNet, count := range clumpedNets {
+		counts = append(counts, fmt.Sprintf("[%s]: %d", clumpedNet, count))
+	}
+	return strings.Join(counts, ", ")
+}