diff --git a/package/statd/statd.conf b/package/statd/statd.conf
index 0af36ab0..53f5214d 100644
--- a/package/statd/statd.conf
+++ b/package/statd/statd.conf
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
+#set DEBUG=1
+
 service name:statd log [S12345] <pid/confd> statd -f -p /run/statd.pid -n -- Status daemon
diff --git a/src/statd/statd.c b/src/statd/statd.c
index 4b3ebb08..b284f7b7 100644
--- a/src/statd/statd.c
+++ b/src/statd/statd.c
@@ -526,9 +526,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	struct statd statd = {};
 	int log_opts = LOG_USER;
 	sr_conn_ctx_t *sr_conn;
+	char *env;
 	int err;
 
-	if (argc > 1 && !strcmp(argv[1], "-d")) {
+	env = getenv("DEBUG");
+	if (env || (argc > 1 && !strcmp(argv[1], "-d"))) {
 		log_opts |= LOG_PERROR;
 		debug = 1;
 	}