diff --git a/glanceclient/common/http.py b/glanceclient/common/http.py
index 2ed77501..02ea0e04 100644
--- a/glanceclient/common/http.py
+++ b/glanceclient/common/http.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ OpenStack Client interface. Handles the REST calls and responses.
 import copy
 import httplib
 import logging
-import os
 import urlparse
 
 
@@ -48,13 +47,6 @@ class HTTPClient(object):
         return self.connection_class(*self.endpoint)
 
     def http_log(self, args, kwargs, resp):
-        if os.environ.get('GLANCECLIENT_DEBUG', False):
-            ch = logging.StreamHandler()
-            logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
-            logger.addHandler(ch)
-        elif not logger.isEnabledFor(logging.DEBUG):
-            return
-
         string_parts = ['curl -i']
         for element in args:
             if element in ('GET', 'POST'):
diff --git a/glanceclient/shell.py b/glanceclient/shell.py
index cbc61cea..fe7a285c 100644
--- a/glanceclient/shell.py
+++ b/glanceclient/shell.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ Command-line interface to the OpenStack Images API.
 """
 
 import argparse
+import logging
 import re
 import sys
 
@@ -47,9 +48,9 @@ class OpenStackImagesShell(object):
         )
 
         parser.add_argument('--debug',
-            default=False,
+            default=bool(utils.env('GLANCECLIENT_DEBUG')),
             action='store_true',
-            help=argparse.SUPPRESS)
+            help='Defaults to env[GLANCECLIENT_DEBUG]')
 
         parser.add_argument('--insecure',
             default=False,
@@ -238,6 +239,10 @@ class OpenStackImagesShell(object):
             self.do_help(args)
             return 0
 
+        LOG = logging.getLogger('glanceclient')
+        LOG.addHandler(logging.StreamHandler())
+        LOG.setLevel(logging.DEBUG if args.debug else logging.INFO)
+
         auth_reqd = (utils.is_authentication_required(args.func) and
                      not (args.os_auth_token and args.os_image_url))