diff --git a/web/run.py b/web/run.py
index 8edfa4a..92f9046 100755
--- a/web/run.py
+++ b/web/run.py
@@ -65,22 +65,25 @@ CME_DATE_FMT = "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%MZ"
 
 # Are we on the SSA instance for ESA?
 SSA = environ.get('SSA') == 'true'
-DEBUG = environ.get('DEBUG') == 'true'
-# SSA = True
+DEBUG = environ.get('DEBUG') in ['true', 'True', 1, '1']
 
 # LOGGING #####################################################################
 
 LOG_FILE = get_path('run.log')
 
 hp_logger = logging.getLogger("HelioPropa")
-if DEBUG:
-    hp_logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
-else:
-    hp_logger.setLevel(logging.ERROR)
+hp_logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+
 logHandler = logging.FileHandler(LOG_FILE)
 logHandler.setFormatter(logging.Formatter(
     "%(asctime)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s"
 ))
+
+# set file messages depending on env var setting
+if DEBUG:
+    logHandler.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+else:
+    logHandler.setLevel(logging.ERROR)
 hp_logger.addHandler(logHandler)
 
 # HARDCODED CONFIGURATION #####################################################
--
libgit2 0.21.2