diff --git a/libctf/ChangeLog b/libctf/ChangeLog
index a9e76ecd7c..32268f87f5 100644
--- a/libctf/ChangeLog
+++ b/libctf/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2021-03-25  Nick Alcock  <nick.alcock@oracle.com>
+
+	* ctf-open-bfd.c (ctf_bfdopen_ctfsect): Initialize debugging.
+
 2021-03-25  Nick Alcock  <nick.alcock@oracle.com>
 
 	PR libctf/27628
diff --git a/libctf/ctf-open-bfd.c b/libctf/ctf-open-bfd.c
index 84e4af6a73..950864118f 100644
--- a/libctf/ctf-open-bfd.c
+++ b/libctf/ctf-open-bfd.c
@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@ ctf_bfdopen_ctfsect (struct bfd *abfd _libctf_unused_,
   char *strtab_alloc = NULL;
   int symsect_endianness = -1;
 
+  libctf_init_debug();
+
 #ifdef HAVE_BFD_ELF
   ctf_sect_t symsect, strsect;
   Elf_Internal_Shdr *symhdr;