diff --git a/api-server/package.json b/api-server/package.json
index a234fbda1b0..7be433231a7 100644
--- a/api-server/package.json
+++ b/api-server/package.json
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   "scripts": {
     "babel-dev-server": "babel-node --inspect=0.0.0.0 ./src/server/index.js",
     "build": "babel src --out-dir lib --ignore '/**/*.test.js' --copy-files --no-copy-ignored",
-    "develop": "cross-env DEBUG=fcc* node src/development-start.js",
+    "develop": "node src/development-start.js",
     "start": "cross-env DEBUG=fcc* node lib/production-start.js"
   },
   "resolutions": {
diff --git a/api-server/src/development-start.js b/api-server/src/development-start.js
index 1110b7196fc..35665078091 100644
--- a/api-server/src/development-start.js
+++ b/api-server/src/development-start.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ nodemon({
   watch: path.resolve(__dirname, './server'),
   spawn: true,
   env: {
-    DEBUG: 'fcc*'
+    DEBUG: `fcc*,${process.env.DEBUG}`
   }
 });
 
diff --git a/api-server/src/server/index.js b/api-server/src/server/index.js
index f96796c0c46..6c350cf2cfb 100644
--- a/api-server/src/server/index.js
+++ b/api-server/src/server/index.js
@@ -14,10 +14,6 @@ const { setupPassport } = require('./component-passport');
 const log = createDebugger('fcc:server');
 const reqLogFormat = ':date[iso] :status :method :response-time ms - :url';
 
-// force logger to always output
-// this may be brittle
-log.enabled = true;
-
 if (sentry.dsn === 'dsn_from_sentry_dashboard') {
   log('Sentry reporting disabled unless DSN is provided.');
 } else {