diff --git a/usr.sbin/sade/termcap.c b/usr.sbin/sade/termcap.c
index b63cf3654d1..1d8e047bc12 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sade/termcap.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/sade/termcap.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ set_termcap(void)
     stat = ioctl(STDERR_FILENO, GIO_COLOR, &ColorDisplay);
 
     if (!RunningAsInit) {
-	if (getenv("SYSINSTALL_DEBUG"))
+	if (isDebug())
 	    DebugFD = open("sysinstall.debug", O_WRONLY|O_CREAT|O_TRUNC, 0644);
 	else
 	    DebugFD = -1;
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/termcap.c b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/termcap.c
index b63cf3654d1..1d8e047bc12 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/termcap.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/termcap.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ set_termcap(void)
     stat = ioctl(STDERR_FILENO, GIO_COLOR, &ColorDisplay);
 
     if (!RunningAsInit) {
-	if (getenv("SYSINSTALL_DEBUG"))
+	if (isDebug())
 	    DebugFD = open("sysinstall.debug", O_WRONLY|O_CREAT|O_TRUNC, 0644);
 	else
 	    DebugFD = -1;