diff --git a/password/git.go b/password/git.go
index fc4868dc89..4b271dbc51 100644
--- a/password/git.go
+++ b/password/git.go
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ func (s *Store) GitInit(signKey string) error {
 	cmd.Dir = s.path
 	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+
+	if s.debug {
+		fmt.Printf("store.GitInit: %s %+v\n", cmd.Path, cmd.Args)
+	}
 	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Failed to initialize git: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -59,6 +63,9 @@ func (s *Store) GitInit(signKey string) error {
 	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
 
+	if s.debug {
+		fmt.Printf("store.GitInit: %s %+v\n", cmd.Path, cmd.Args)
+	}
 	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
 		fmt.Printf("Failed to initialize git: %s\n", err)
 	}
@@ -81,6 +88,9 @@ func (s *Store) gitSetSignKey(sk string) error {
 	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
 
+	if s.debug {
+		fmt.Printf("store.gitSetSignKey: %s %+v\n", cmd.Path, cmd.Args)
+	}
 	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -90,6 +100,9 @@ func (s *Store) gitSetSignKey(sk string) error {
 	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
 
+	if s.debug {
+		fmt.Printf("store.gitSetSignKey: %s %+v\n", cmd.Path, cmd.Args)
+	}
 	return cmd.Run()
 }
 
@@ -101,6 +114,9 @@ func (s *Store) Git(args ...string) error {
 	cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
 
+	if s.debug {
+		fmt.Printf("store.Git: %s %+v\n", cmd.Path, cmd.Args)
+	}
 	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -126,6 +142,9 @@ func (s *Store) gitAdd(files ...string) error {
 	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
 
+	if s.debug {
+		fmt.Printf("store.gitAdd: %s %+v\n", cmd.Path, cmd.Args)
+	}
 	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to add files to git: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -144,6 +163,9 @@ func (s *Store) gitCommit(msg string) error {
 	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
 
+	if s.debug {
+		fmt.Printf("store.gitCommit: %s %+v\n", cmd.Path, cmd.Args)
+	}
 	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to commit files to git: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -163,6 +185,9 @@ func (s *Store) gitConfigValue(key string) (string, error) {
 	cmd.Stdout = buf
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
 
+	if s.debug {
+		fmt.Printf("store.gitConfigValue: %s %+v\n", cmd.Path, cmd.Args)
+	}
 	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
diff --git a/password/root_store.go b/password/root_store.go
index 719c53ce01..69a2d0056e 100644
--- a/password/root_store.go
+++ b/password/root_store.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package password
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ type RootStore struct {
 	Version     string            `json:"version"`
 	ImportFunc  ImportCallback    `json:"-"`
 	FsckFunc    FsckCallback      `json:"-"`
+	Debug       bool              `json:"-"`
 	store       *Store
 	mounts      map[string]*Store
 }
@@ -47,6 +49,10 @@ func NewRootStore(path string) (*RootStore, error) {
 // init checks internal consistency and initializes sub stores
 // after unmarshaling
 func (r *RootStore) init() error {
+	if d := os.Getenv("GOPASS_DEBUG"); d == "true" {
+		r.Debug = true
+	}
+
 	if r.Mount == nil {
 		r.Mount = make(map[string]string)
 	}
diff --git a/password/store.go b/password/store.go
index 8155f76477..1f0b23174b 100644
--- a/password/store.go
+++ b/password/store.go
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ type Store struct {
 	alwaysTrust bool
 	importFunc  ImportCallback
 	fsckFunc    FsckCallback
+	debug       bool
 }
 
 // NewStore creates a new store, copying settings from the given root store
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ func NewStore(alias, path string, r *RootStore) (*Store, error) {
 		alwaysTrust: r.AlwaysTrust,
 		importFunc:  r.ImportFunc,
 		fsckFunc:    r.FsckFunc,
+		debug:       r.Debug,
 		recipients:  make([]string, 0, 5),
 	}