diff --git a/crates/pacdef_core/src/cmd.rs b/crates/pacdef_core/src/cmd.rs
index 9806165..61bb8f9 100644
--- a/crates/pacdef_core/src/cmd.rs
+++ b/crates/pacdef_core/src/cmd.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use std::process::{Command, ExitStatus};
 
 use anyhow::{anyhow, ensure, Context, Result};
 
-use crate::env::get_editor;
+use crate::env::{get_editor, should_print_debug_info};
 
 /// Run the editor and pass the provided files as arguments. The workdir is set
 /// to the parent of the first file.
@@ -29,16 +29,23 @@ where
     inner(&files)
 }
 
-/// Run an external command. Use the anyhow framework to bubble up errors if they occur.
+/// Run an external command. Use the anyhow framework to bubble up errors if they occur. Will print
+/// the full command to be executed when pacdef is in debug mode.
 ///
 /// # Errors
 ///
 /// This function will return an error if the command cannot be run or if it returns a non-zero
 /// exit status. In case of an error the full command will be part of the error message.
 pub fn run_external_command(mut cmd: Command) -> Result<()> {
+    if should_print_debug_info() {
+        println!("will run the following command");
+        dbg!(&cmd);
+    }
+
     let exit_status = cmd
         .status()
         .with_context(|| format!("running command [{cmd:?}]"))?;
+
     let success = exit_status.success();
     ensure!(
         success,
diff --git a/crates/pacdef_core/src/core.rs b/crates/pacdef_core/src/core.rs
index b79b6e8..8e3e4c4 100644
--- a/crates/pacdef_core/src/core.rs
+++ b/crates/pacdef_core/src/core.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use const_format::formatcp;
 use crate::args::{self, PackageAction};
 use crate::backend::{Backend, Backends, ToDoPerBackend};
 use crate::cmd::run_edit_command;
-use crate::env::get_single_var;
+use crate::env::should_print_debug_info;
 use crate::path::{binary_in_path, get_absolutized_file_paths, get_group_dir};
 use crate::search;
 use crate::ui::get_user_confirmation;
@@ -571,16 +571,13 @@ fn find_groups_by_name<'a>(names: &[String], groups: &'a HashSet<Group>) -> Resu
 #[allow(clippy::option_if_let_else)]
 fn show_backend_query_error(error: &anyhow::Error, backend: &dyn Backend) {
     let section = backend.get_section();
-    match get_single_var("RUST_BACKTRACE") {
-        Some(s) => {
-            if s == "1" || s == "full" {
-                eprintln!("WARNING: skipping backend '{section}':");
-                for err in error.chain() {
-                    eprintln!("  {err}");
-                }
-            }
+    if should_print_debug_info() {
+        eprintln!("WARNING: skipping backend '{section}':");
+        for err in error.chain() {
+            eprintln!("  {err}");
         }
-        None => eprintln!("WARNING: skipping backend '{section}': {error}"),
+    } else {
+        eprintln!("WARNING: skipping backend '{section}': {error}");
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/pacdef_core/src/env.rs b/crates/pacdef_core/src/env.rs
index 4172f1b..6991e37 100644
--- a/crates/pacdef_core/src/env.rs
+++ b/crates/pacdef_core/src/env.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,14 @@ fn check_vars_in_order(vars: &[&str]) -> Option<String> {
     vars.iter().find_map(|v| var(v).ok())
 }
 
-pub fn get_single_var(variable: &str) -> Option<String> {
+fn get_single_var(variable: &str) -> Option<String> {
     var(variable).ok()
 }
+
+pub fn should_print_debug_info() -> bool {
+    match get_single_var("RUST_BACKTRACE") {
+        Some(value) if ["s", "full"].contains(&value.as_str()) => true,
+        Some(_) => false,
+        None => false,
+    }
+}