diff --git a/bin/doom b/bin/doom
index 8450cebae..8e0bbf65f 100755
--- a/bin/doom
+++ b/bin/doom
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env sh
 :; # -*- mode: emacs-lisp; lexical-binding: t -*-
 :; case "$EMACS" in *term*) EMACS=emacs ;; *) EMACS="${EMACS:-emacs}" ;; esac
-:; emacs="$EMACS -q --no-site-file --batch"
+:; emacs="$EMACS ${DEBUG:+--debug-init} -q --no-site-file --batch"
 :; tmpdir=`$emacs --eval '(princ (temporary-file-directory))' 2>/dev/null`
 :; [ -z "$tmpdir" ] && { >&2 echo "Error: failed to run Emacs with command '$EMACS'"; >&2 echo; >&2 echo "Are you sure Emacs is installed and in your \$PATH?"; exit 1; }
 :; export __DOOMPID="${__DOOMPID:-$$}"