diff --git a/cmd/helm/dependency_update.go b/cmd/helm/dependency_update.go
index bd2183cff..1838acb0a 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/dependency_update.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/dependency_update.go
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func (d *dependencyUpdateCmd) run() error {
 	if d.verify {
 		man.Verify = downloader.VerifyIfPossible
 	}
-	if settings.FlagDebug {
+	if settings.Debug {
 		man.Debug = true
 	}
 	return man.Update()
diff --git a/cmd/helm/helm.go b/cmd/helm/helm.go
index 113cf6b14..ced336ac4 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/helm.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/helm.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func newRootCmd(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	settings.Home = helmpath.Home(helmHomeTemp)
 	p.StringVar(&settings.TillerHost, "host", helm_env.DefaultHelmHost(), "address of tiller. Overrides $HELM_HOST")
 	p.StringVar(&kubeContext, "kube-context", "", "name of the kubeconfig context to use")
-	p.BoolVar(&settings.FlagDebug, "debug", false, "enable verbose output")
+	p.BoolVar(&settings.Debug, "debug", false, "enable verbose output")
 	p.StringVar(&settings.TillerNamespace, "tiller-namespace", tiller_env.GetTillerNamespace(), "namespace of tiller")
 
 	if os.Getenv(helm_env.PluginDisableEnvVar) != "1" {
@@ -190,15 +190,12 @@ func setupConnection(c *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		}
 
 		settings.TillerHost = fmt.Sprintf("localhost:%d", tunnel.Local)
-		if settings.FlagDebug {
-			fmt.Printf("Created tunnel using local port: '%d'\n", tunnel.Local)
-		}
+		debug("Created tunnel using local port: '%d'\n", tunnel.Local)
 	}
 
 	// Set up the gRPC config.
-	if settings.FlagDebug {
-		fmt.Printf("SERVER: %q\n", settings.TillerHost)
-	}
+	debug("SERVER: %q\n", settings.TillerHost)
+
 	// Plugin support.
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/cmd/helm/home.go b/cmd/helm/home.go
index 6f2647db0..25809b521 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/home.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/home.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func newHomeCmd(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 			h := settings.Home
 			fmt.Fprintf(out, "%s\n", h)
-			if settings.FlagDebug {
+			if settings.Debug {
 				fmt.Fprintf(out, "Repository: %s\n", h.Repository())
 				fmt.Fprintf(out, "RepositoryFile: %s\n", h.RepositoryFile())
 				fmt.Fprintf(out, "Cache: %s\n", h.Cache())
diff --git a/cmd/helm/init.go b/cmd/helm/init.go
index f08dc1ed5..a2bec7a65 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/init.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/init.go
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ func (i *initCmd) run() error {
 	i.opts.UseCanary = i.canary
 	i.opts.ImageSpec = i.image
 
-	if settings.FlagDebug {
+	if settings.Debug {
 		writeYAMLManifest := func(apiVersion, kind, body string, first, last bool) error {
 			w := i.out
 			if !first {
diff --git a/cmd/helm/init_test.go b/cmd/helm/init_test.go
index 03fc844f0..4d82c297b 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/init_test.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/init_test.go
@@ -140,11 +140,11 @@ func TestInitCmd_dryRun(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	dbg := settings.FlagDebug
-	settings.FlagDebug = true
+	dbg := settings.Debug
+	settings.Debug = true
 	defer func() {
 		os.Remove(home)
-		settings.FlagDebug = dbg
+		settings.Debug = dbg
 	}()
 
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
diff --git a/cmd/helm/install.go b/cmd/helm/install.go
index d119802f8..d01ee514a 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/install.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/install.go
@@ -178,9 +178,7 @@ func newInstallCmd(c helm.Interface, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 }
 
 func (i *installCmd) run() error {
-	if settings.FlagDebug {
-		fmt.Fprintf(i.out, "CHART PATH: %s\n", i.chartPath)
-	}
+	debug("CHART PATH: %s\n", i.chartPath)
 
 	if i.namespace == "" {
 		i.namespace = defaultNamespace()
@@ -305,14 +303,14 @@ func (i *installCmd) vals() ([]byte, error) {
 	return yaml.Marshal(base)
 }
 
-// printRelease prints info about a release if the flagDebug is true.
+// printRelease prints info about a release if the Debug is true.
 func (i *installCmd) printRelease(rel *release.Release) {
 	if rel == nil {
 		return
 	}
 	// TODO: Switch to text/template like everything else.
 	fmt.Fprintf(i.out, "NAME:   %s\n", rel.Name)
-	if settings.FlagDebug {
+	if settings.Debug {
 		printRelease(i.out, rel)
 	}
 }
@@ -371,11 +369,9 @@ func locateChartPath(name, version string, verify bool, keyring string) (string,
 		if err != nil {
 			return filename, err
 		}
-		if settings.FlagDebug {
-			fmt.Printf("Fetched %s to %s\n", name, filename)
-		}
+		debug("Fetched %s to %s\n", name, filename)
 		return lname, nil
-	} else if settings.FlagDebug {
+	} else if settings.Debug {
 		return filename, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/cmd/helm/package.go b/cmd/helm/package.go
index 89ec2b18e..a2da2c338 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/package.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/package.go
@@ -119,9 +119,7 @@ func (p *packageCmd) run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		if err := setVersion(ch, p.version); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		if settings.FlagDebug {
-			fmt.Fprintf(p.out, "Setting version to %s", p.version)
-		}
+		debug("Setting version to %s", p.version)
 	}
 
 	if filepath.Base(path) != ch.Metadata.Name {
@@ -145,8 +143,8 @@ func (p *packageCmd) run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	name, err := chartutil.Save(ch, dest)
-	if err == nil && settings.FlagDebug {
-		fmt.Fprintf(p.out, "Saved %s to current directory\n", name)
+	if err == nil {
+		debug("Saved %s to current directory\n", name)
 	}
 
 	// Save to $HELM_HOME/local directory. This is second, because we don't want
@@ -155,9 +153,8 @@ func (p *packageCmd) run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		lr := p.home.LocalRepository()
 		if err := repo.AddChartToLocalRepo(ch, lr); err != nil {
 			return err
-		} else if settings.FlagDebug {
-			fmt.Fprintf(p.out, "Saved %s to %s\n", name, lr)
 		}
+		debug("Saved %s to %s\n", name, lr)
 	}
 
 	if p.sign {
@@ -194,9 +191,7 @@ func (p *packageCmd) clearsign(filename string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if settings.FlagDebug {
-		fmt.Fprintln(p.out, sig)
-	}
+	debug(sig)
 
 	return ioutil.WriteFile(filename+".prov", []byte(sig), 0755)
 }
diff --git a/cmd/helm/plugin_install.go b/cmd/helm/plugin_install.go
index e56c3b229..7ab4d21fa 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/plugin_install.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/plugin_install.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func (pcmd *pluginInstallCmd) complete(args []string) error {
 }
 
 func (pcmd *pluginInstallCmd) run() error {
-	installer.Debug = settings.FlagDebug
+	installer.Debug = settings.Debug
 
 	i, err := installer.NewForSource(pcmd.source, pcmd.version, pcmd.home)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/helm/plugin_test.go b/cmd/helm/plugin_test.go
index cd0e3da74..095de7063 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/plugin_test.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/plugin_test.go
@@ -162,9 +162,9 @@ func TestSetupEnv(t *testing.T) {
 	settings.Home = helmpath.Home("testdata/helmhome")
 	base := filepath.Join(settings.Home.Plugins(), name)
 	settings.PlugDirs = settings.Home.Plugins()
-	settings.FlagDebug = true
+	settings.Debug = true
 	defer func() {
-		settings.FlagDebug = false
+		settings.Debug = false
 	}()
 
 	plugin.SetupPluginEnv(settings, name, base)
diff --git a/cmd/helm/printer.go b/cmd/helm/printer.go
index a8b04dfda..ebb24bf7d 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/printer.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/printer.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func tpl(t string, vals map[string]interface{}, out io.Writer) error {
 }
 
 func debug(format string, args ...interface{}) {
-	if settings.FlagDebug {
+	if settings.Debug {
 		format = fmt.Sprintf("[debug] %s\n", format)
 		fmt.Printf(format, args...)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/helm/upgrade.go b/cmd/helm/upgrade.go
index bc4dc2971..ea8d667a1 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/upgrade.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/upgrade.go
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ func (u *upgradeCmd) run() error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("UPGRADE FAILED: %v", prettyError(err))
 	}
 
-	if settings.FlagDebug {
+	if settings.Debug {
 		printRelease(u.out, resp.Release)
 	}
 
diff --git a/cmd/helm/version.go b/cmd/helm/version.go
index bba79a8c1..64c66b348 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/version.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/version.go
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"os"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
@@ -105,9 +104,7 @@ func (v *versionCmd) run() error {
 		if grpc.Code(err) == codes.Unimplemented {
 			return errors.New("server is too old to know its version")
 		}
-		if settings.FlagDebug {
-			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
-		}
+		debug("%s", err)
 		return errors.New("cannot connect to Tiller")
 	}
 	fmt.Fprintf(v.out, "Server: %s\n", formatVersion(resp.Version, v.short))
diff --git a/pkg/helm/environment/environment.go b/pkg/helm/environment/environment.go
index 6a24a624c..22fb43ae7 100644
--- a/pkg/helm/environment/environment.go
+++ b/pkg/helm/environment/environment.go
@@ -52,5 +52,5 @@ type EnvSettings struct {
 	TillerNamespace string
 	Home            helmpath.Home
 	PlugDirs        string
-	FlagDebug       bool
+	Debug           bool
 }
diff --git a/pkg/plugin/plugin.go b/pkg/plugin/plugin.go
index 6bcb5a186..8bde6ad24 100644
--- a/pkg/plugin/plugin.go
+++ b/pkg/plugin/plugin.go
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ func SetupPluginEnv(settings helm_env.EnvSettings,
 		os.Setenv(key, val)
 	}
 
-	if settings.FlagDebug {
+	if settings.Debug {
 		os.Setenv("HELM_DEBUG", "1")
 	}
 }