diff --git a/src/gnome-shell.in b/src/gnome-shell.in
index 2e4b97cde..1cb2008ab 100755
--- a/src/gnome-shell.in
+++ b/src/gnome-shell.in
@@ -152,6 +152,9 @@ def start_shell():
         if os.path.exists(mozjs_libdir + '/libmozjs.so'):
             env['LD_LIBRARY_PATH'] = os.environ.get('LD_LIBRARY_PATH', '') + ':' + mozjs_libdir
 
+    # Log everything to stderr (make stderr our "log file")
+    env['GJS_DEBUG_OUTPUT'] = 'stderr'
+
     if not options.verbose:
         # Unless verbose() is specified, only let gjs show errors and
         # things that are explicitly logged via log() from javascript