diff --git a/libgnucash/scm/utilities.scm b/libgnucash/scm/utilities.scm
index 4fcf60b823..c70f4544a5 100644
--- a/libgnucash/scm/utilities.scm
+++ b/libgnucash/scm/utilities.scm
@@ -68,18 +68,9 @@
 (define (gnc:msg . items)
   (gnc-scm-log-msg (strify items)))
 
-;; this definition of gnc:debug is different from others because we
-;; want to check loglevel is debug *once* at gnc:debug definition
-;; instead of every call to gnc:debug. if loglevel isn't debug then
-;; gnc:debug becomes a NOOP.
-(define gnc:debug
-  (cond
-   ((qof-log-check "gnc" QOF-LOG-DEBUG)
-    (display "debugging enabled\n")
-    (lambda items (gnc-scm-log-debug (strify items))))
-
-   (else
-    (lambda items #f))))
+(define (gnc:debug . items)
+  (when (qof-log-check "gnc:scm" QOF-LOG-DEBUG)
+    (gnc-scm-log-debug (strify items))))
 
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 ;; the following functions are initialized to log message to tracefile