diff --git a/Shorewall/lib.common b/Shorewall/lib.common
index 952d74abd..1bd72193e 100644
--- a/Shorewall/lib.common
+++ b/Shorewall/lib.common
@@ -94,7 +94,12 @@ run_it() {
 	#
 	# 4.4.8 or later -- no additional exports required
 	#
-	options='-'
+	if [ x$1 = xtrace -o x$1 = xdebug ]; then
+	    options="$1 -"
+	    shift;
+	else
+	    options='-'
+	fi
 
 	[ -n "$g_noroutes" ]   && options=${options}n
 	[ -n "$g_timestamp" ]  && options=${options}t
diff --git a/Shorewall6/lib.common b/Shorewall6/lib.common
index f686d9a6f..1b2d6f13e 100644
--- a/Shorewall6/lib.common
+++ b/Shorewall6/lib.common
@@ -92,7 +92,12 @@ run_it() {
 	#
 	# 4.4.8 or later -- no additional exports required
 	#
-	options='-'
+	if [ x$1 = xtrace -o x$1 = xdebug ]; then
+	    options="$1 -"
+	    shift;
+	else
+	    options='-'
+	fi
 
 	[ -n "$g_noroutes" ]   && options=${options}n
 	[ -n "$g_timestamp" ]  && options=${options}t