diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f3ac542007..9874922824 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -539,36 +539,6 @@ This will print:
 
 Note that this program will not exit cleanly because the client is still connected.
 
-## redis.debug_mode
-
-Boolean to enable debug mode and protocol tracing.
-
-```js
-var redis = require("redis"),
-    client = redis.createClient();
-
-redis.debug_mode = true;
-
-client.on("connect", function () {
-    client.set("foo_rand000000000000", "some fantastic value");
-});
-```
-
-This will display:
-
-    mjr:~/work/node_redis (master)$ node ~/example.js
-    send command: *3
-    $3
-    SET
-    $20
-    foo_rand000000000000
-    $20
-    some fantastic value
-
-    on_data: +OK
-
-`send command` is data sent into Redis and `on_data` is data received from Redis.
-
 ## Multi-word commands
 
 To execute redis multi-word commands like `SCRIPT LOAD` or `CLIENT LIST` pass
diff --git a/examples/eval.js b/examples/eval.js
index 0ec1c215e9..fcdc99383d 100644
--- a/examples/eval.js
+++ b/examples/eval.js
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 var redis = require("../index"),
     client = redis.createClient();
 
-redis.debug_mode = true;
-
 client.eval("return 100.5", 0, function (err, res) {
     console.dir(err);
     console.dir(res);
diff --git a/examples/psubscribe.js b/examples/psubscribe.js
index f46d235bed..4adb23c4df 100644
--- a/examples/psubscribe.js
+++ b/examples/psubscribe.js
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ var redis = require("redis"),
     client4 = redis.createClient(),
     msg_count = 0;
 
-redis.debug_mode = false;
-
 client1.on("psubscribe", function (pattern, count) {
     console.log("client1 psubscribed to " + pattern + ", " + count + " total subscriptions");
     client2.publish("channeltwo", "Me!");
diff --git a/examples/pub_sub.js b/examples/pub_sub.js
index 3446a552d1..499b37e1be 100644
--- a/examples/pub_sub.js
+++ b/examples/pub_sub.js
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ var redis = require("redis"),
     client1 = redis.createClient(), msg_count = 0,
     client2 = redis.createClient();
 
-redis.debug_mode = false;
-
 // Most clients probably don't do much on "subscribe".  This example uses it to coordinate things within one program.
 client1.on("subscribe", function (channel, count) {
     console.log("client1 subscribed to " + channel + ", " + count + " total subscriptions");
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 730372bb54..99f8c8aae3 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -12,25 +12,15 @@ var net = require("net"),
     parsers = [], commands,
     connection_id = 0,
     default_port = 6379,
-    default_host = "127.0.0.1";
-
-// can set this to true to enable for all connections
-exports.debug_mode = false;
-
-var arraySlice = Array.prototype.slice;
-function trace() {
-    if (!exports.debug_mode) return;
-    console.log.apply(null, arraySlice.call(arguments));
-}
+    default_host = "127.0.0.1",
+    debug = util.debuglog('redis');
 
 // hiredis might not be installed
 try {
     require("./lib/parser/hiredis");
     parsers.push(require("./lib/parser/hiredis"));
 } catch (err) {
-    if (exports.debug_mode) {
-        console.warn("hiredis parser not installed.");
-    }
+    debug("hiredis parser not installed.");
 }
 
 parsers.push(require("./lib/parser/javascript"));
@@ -132,13 +122,13 @@ RedisClient.prototype.initialize_retry_vars = function () {
 };
 
 RedisClient.prototype.unref = function () {
-    trace("User requesting to unref the connection");
+    debug("User requesting to unref the connection");
     if (this.connected) {
-        trace("unref'ing the socket connection");
+        debug("unref'ing the socket connection");
         this.stream.unref();
     }
     else {
-        trace("Not connected yet, will unref later");
+        debug("Not connected yet, will unref later");
         this.once("connect", function () {
             this.unref();
         });
@@ -187,9 +177,7 @@ RedisClient.prototype.on_error = function (msg) {
 
     var message = "Redis connection to " + this.address + " failed - " + msg;
 
-    if (exports.debug_mode) {
-        console.warn(message);
-    }
+    debug(message);
 
     this.flush_and_error(message);
 
@@ -205,9 +193,8 @@ RedisClient.prototype.on_error = function (msg) {
 RedisClient.prototype.do_auth = function () {
     var self = this;
 
-    if (exports.debug_mode) {
-        console.log("Sending auth to " + self.address + " id " + self.connection_id);
-    }
+    debug("Sending auth to " + self.address + " id " + self.connection_id);
+
     self.send_anyway = true;
     self.send_command("auth", [this.auth_pass], function (err, res) {
         if (err) {
@@ -229,9 +216,9 @@ RedisClient.prototype.do_auth = function () {
         if (res.toString() !== "OK") {
             return self.emit("error", new Error("Auth failed: " + res.toString()));
         }
-        if (exports.debug_mode) {
-            console.log("Auth succeeded " + self.address + " id " + self.connection_id);
-        }
+
+        debug("Auth succeeded " + self.address + " id " + self.connection_id);
+
         if (self.auth_callback) {
             self.auth_callback(err, res);
             self.auth_callback = null;
@@ -251,9 +238,7 @@ RedisClient.prototype.do_auth = function () {
 };
 
 RedisClient.prototype.on_connect = function () {
-    if (exports.debug_mode) {
-        console.log("Stream connected " + this.address + " id " + this.connection_id);
-    }
+    debug("Stream connected " + this.address + " id " + this.connection_id);
 
     this.connected = true;
     this.ready = false;
@@ -289,23 +274,17 @@ RedisClient.prototype.init_parser = function () {
         if (! parsers.some(function (parser) {
             if (parser.name === self.options.parser) {
                 self.parser_module = parser;
-                if (exports.debug_mode) {
-                    console.log("Using parser module: " + self.parser_module.name);
-                }
+                debug("Using parser module: " + self.parser_module.name);
                 return true;
             }
         })) {
             throw new Error("Couldn't find named parser " + self.options.parser + " on this system");
         }
     } else {
-        if (exports.debug_mode) {
-            console.log("Using default parser module: " + parsers[0].name);
-        }
+        debug("Using default parser module: " + parsers[0].name);
         this.parser_module = parsers[0];
     }
 
-    this.parser_module.debug_mode = exports.debug_mode;
-
     // return_buffers sends back Buffers from parser to callback. detect_buffers sends back Buffers from parser, but
     // converts to Strings if the input arguments are not Buffers.
     this.reply_parser = new this.parser_module.Parser({
@@ -361,9 +340,7 @@ RedisClient.prototype.on_ready = function () {
         };
         Object.keys(this.subscription_set).forEach(function (key) {
             var parts = key.split(" ");
-            if (exports.debug_mode) {
-                console.warn("sending pub/sub on_ready " + parts[0] + ", " + parts[1]);
-            }
+            debug("sending pub/sub on_ready " + parts[0] + ", " + parts[1]);
             callback_count++;
             self.send_command(parts[0] + "scribe", [parts[1]], callback);
         });
@@ -403,18 +380,14 @@ RedisClient.prototype.on_info_cmd = function (err, res) {
     this.server_info = obj;
 
     if (!obj.loading || obj.loading === "0") {
-        if (exports.debug_mode) {
-            console.log("Redis server ready.");
-        }
+        debug("Redis server ready.");
         this.on_ready();
     } else {
         retry_time = obj.loading_eta_seconds * 1000;
         if (retry_time > 1000) {
             retry_time = 1000;
         }
-        if (exports.debug_mode) {
-            console.log("Redis server still loading, trying again in " + retry_time);
-        }
+        debug("Redis server still loading, trying again in " + retry_time);
         setTimeout(function () {
             self.ready_check();
         }, retry_time);
@@ -424,9 +397,7 @@ RedisClient.prototype.on_info_cmd = function (err, res) {
 RedisClient.prototype.ready_check = function () {
     var self = this;
 
-    if (exports.debug_mode) {
-        console.log("checking server ready state...");
-    }
+    debug("checking server ready state...");
 
     this.send_anyway = true;  // secret flag to send_command to send something even if not "ready"
     this.info(function (err, res) {
@@ -440,9 +411,7 @@ RedisClient.prototype.send_offline_queue = function () {
 
     while (this.offline_queue.length > 0) {
         command_obj = this.offline_queue.shift();
-        if (exports.debug_mode) {
-            console.log("Sending offline command: " + command_obj.command);
-        }
+        debug("Sending offline command: " + command_obj.command);
         buffered_writes += !this.send_command(command_obj.command, command_obj.args, command_obj.callback);
     }
     this.offline_queue = new Queue();
@@ -462,9 +431,7 @@ RedisClient.prototype.connection_gone = function (why) {
         return;
     }
 
-    if (exports.debug_mode) {
-        console.warn("Redis connection is gone from " + why + " event.");
-    }
+    debug("Redis connection is gone from " + why + " event.");
     this.connected = false;
     this.ready = false;
 
@@ -491,9 +458,7 @@ RedisClient.prototype.connection_gone = function (why) {
     // If this is a requested shutdown, then don't retry
     if (this.closing) {
         this.retry_timer = null;
-        if (exports.debug_mode) {
-            console.warn("connection ended from quit command, not retrying.");
-        }
+        debug("connection ended from quit command, not retrying.");
         return;
     }
 
@@ -504,9 +469,7 @@ RedisClient.prototype.connection_gone = function (why) {
         this.retry_delay = nextDelay;
     }
 
-    if (exports.debug_mode) {
-        console.log("Retry connection in " + this.retry_delay + " ms");
-    }
+    debug("Retry connection in " + this.retry_delay + " ms");
 
     if (this.max_attempts && this.attempts >= this.max_attempts) {
         this.retry_timer = null;
@@ -522,9 +485,7 @@ RedisClient.prototype.connection_gone = function (why) {
         attempt: self.attempts
     });
     this.retry_timer = setTimeout(function () {
-        if (exports.debug_mode) {
-            console.log("Retrying connection...");
-        }
+        debug("Retrying connection...");
 
         self.retry_totaltime += self.retry_delay;
 
@@ -542,9 +503,7 @@ RedisClient.prototype.connection_gone = function (why) {
 };
 
 RedisClient.prototype.on_data = function (data) {
-    if (exports.debug_mode) {
-        console.log("net read " + this.address + " id " + this.connection_id + ": " + data.toString());
-    }
+    debug("net read " + this.address + " id " + this.connection_id + ": " + data.toString());
 
     try {
         this.reply_parser.execute(data);
@@ -655,7 +614,7 @@ RedisClient.prototype.return_reply = function (reply) {
     }
 
     if (this.pub_sub_mode && (type == 'message' || type == 'pmessage')) {
-        trace("received pubsub message");
+        debug("received pubsub message");
     }
     else {
         command_obj = this.command_queue.shift();
@@ -686,9 +645,7 @@ RedisClient.prototype.return_reply = function (reply) {
             }
 
             try_callback(command_obj.callback, reply);
-        } else if (exports.debug_mode) {
-            console.log("no callback for reply: " + (reply && reply.toString && reply.toString()));
-        }
+        } else debug("no callback for reply: " + (reply && reply.toString && reply.toString()));
     } else if (this.pub_sub_mode || (command_obj && command_obj.sub_command)) {
         if (Array.isArray(reply)) {
             type = reply[0].toString();
@@ -700,9 +657,7 @@ RedisClient.prototype.return_reply = function (reply) {
             } else if (type === "subscribe" || type === "unsubscribe" || type === "psubscribe" || type === "punsubscribe") {
                 if (reply[2] === 0) {
                     this.pub_sub_mode = false;
-                    if (this.debug_mode) {
-                        console.log("All subscriptions removed, exiting pub/sub mode");
-                    }
+                    debug("All subscriptions removed, exiting pub/sub mode");
                 } else {
                     this.pub_sub_mode = true;
                 }
@@ -803,16 +758,12 @@ RedisClient.prototype.send_command = function (command, args, callback) {
     command_obj = new Command(command, args, false, buffer_args, callback);
 
     if ((!this.ready && !this.send_anyway) || !stream.writable) {
-        if (exports.debug_mode) {
-            if (!stream.writable) {
-                console.log("send command: stream is not writeable.");
-            }
+        if (!stream.writable) {
+            debug("send command: stream is not writeable.");
         }
 
         if (this.enable_offline_queue) {
-            if (exports.debug_mode) {
-                console.log("Queueing " + command + " for next server connection.");
-            }
+            debug("Queueing " + command + " for next server connection.");
             this.offline_queue.push(command_obj);
             this.should_buffer = true;
         } else {
@@ -854,14 +805,10 @@ RedisClient.prototype.send_command = function (command, args, callback) {
             }
             command_str += "$" + Buffer.byteLength(arg) + "\r\n" + arg + "\r\n";
         }
-        if (exports.debug_mode) {
-            console.log("send " + this.address + " id " + this.connection_id + ": " + command_str);
-        }
+        debug("send " + this.address + " id " + this.connection_id + ": " + command_str);
         buffered_writes += !stream.write(command_str);
     } else {
-        if (exports.debug_mode) {
-            console.log("send command (" + command_str + ") has Buffer arguments");
-        }
+        debug("send command (" + command_str + ") has Buffer arguments");
         buffered_writes += !stream.write(command_str);
 
         for (i = 0, il = args.length, arg; i < il; i += 1) {
@@ -872,29 +819,21 @@ RedisClient.prototype.send_command = function (command, args, callback) {
 
             if (Buffer.isBuffer(arg)) {
                 if (arg.length === 0) {
-                    if (exports.debug_mode) {
-                        console.log("send_command: using empty string for 0 length buffer");
-                    }
+                    debug("send_command: using empty string for 0 length buffer");
                     buffered_writes += !stream.write("$0\r\n\r\n");
                 } else {
                     buffered_writes += !stream.write("$" + arg.length + "\r\n");
                     buffered_writes += !stream.write(arg);
                     buffered_writes += !stream.write("\r\n");
-                    if (exports.debug_mode) {
-                        console.log("send_command: buffer send " + arg.length + " bytes");
-                    }
+                    debug("send_command: buffer send " + arg.length + " bytes");
                 }
             } else {
-                if (exports.debug_mode) {
-                    console.log("send_command: string send " + Buffer.byteLength(arg) + " bytes: " + arg);
-                }
+                debug("send_command: string send " + Buffer.byteLength(arg) + " bytes: " + arg);
                 buffered_writes += !stream.write("$" + Buffer.byteLength(arg) + "\r\n" + arg + "\r\n");
             }
         }
     }
-    if (exports.debug_mode) {
-        console.log("send_command buffered_writes: " + buffered_writes, " should_buffer: " + this.should_buffer);
-    }
+    debug("send_command buffered_writes: " + buffered_writes, " should_buffer: " + this.should_buffer);
     if (buffered_writes || this.command_queue.getLength() >= this.command_queue_high_water) {
         this.should_buffer = true;
     }
@@ -904,8 +843,8 @@ RedisClient.prototype.send_command = function (command, args, callback) {
 RedisClient.prototype.pub_sub_command = function (command_obj) {
     var i, key, command, args;
 
-    if (this.pub_sub_mode === false && exports.debug_mode) {
-        console.log("Entering pub/sub mode from " + command_obj.command);
+    if (this.pub_sub_mode === false) {
+        debug("Entering pub/sub mode from " + command_obj.command);
     }
     this.pub_sub_mode = true;
     command_obj.sub_command = true;
@@ -1025,9 +964,7 @@ RedisClient.prototype.auth = function () {
     var args = to_array(arguments);
     this.auth_pass = args[0];
     this.auth_callback = args[1];
-    if (exports.debug_mode) {
-        console.log("Saving auth as " + this.auth_pass);
-    }
+    debug("Saving auth as " + this.auth_pass);
 
     if (this.connected) {
         this.send_command("auth", args);
diff --git a/lib/parser/hiredis.js b/lib/parser/hiredis.js
index 29dbfd59a9..f588bcc185 100644
--- a/lib/parser/hiredis.js
+++ b/lib/parser/hiredis.js
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ var events = require("events"),
     util = require("../util"),
     hiredis = require("hiredis");
 
-exports.debug_mode = false;
 exports.name = "hiredis";
 
 function HiredisReplyParser(options) {
diff --git a/lib/parser/javascript.js b/lib/parser/javascript.js
index 2060cbab8f..15f8390900 100644
--- a/lib/parser/javascript.js
+++ b/lib/parser/javascript.js
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ function Packet(type, size) {
 }
 
 exports.name = "javascript";
-exports.debug_mode = false;
 
 function ReplyParser(options) {
     this.name = exports.name;
@@ -18,7 +17,6 @@ function ReplyParser(options) {
     this._buffer            = null;
     this._offset            = 0;
     this._encoding          = "utf-8";
-    this._debug_mode        = options.debug_mode;
     this._reply_type        = null;
 }
 
diff --git a/multi_bench.js b/multi_bench.js
index 9f210a76d4..dd2e99fe1b 100644
--- a/multi_bench.js
+++ b/multi_bench.js
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@ var redis = require("./index"),
     },
     small_str, large_str, small_buf, large_buf, very_large_str, very_large_buf;
 
-redis.debug_mode = false;
-
 function lpad(input, len, chr) {
     var str = input.toString();
     chr = chr || " ";
diff --git a/test/lib/config.js b/test/lib/config.js
index 0ddef51447..54c6ed27bb 100644
--- a/test/lib/config.js
+++ b/test/lib/config.js
@@ -1,19 +1,15 @@
 // helpers for configuring a redis client in
 // its various modes, ipV6, ipV4, socket.
-module.exports = (function () {
-    var redis = require('../../index');
-    redis.debug_mode = process.env.DEBUG ? JSON.parse(process.env.DEBUG) : false;
+var redis = require('../../index');
 
-    var config = {
-        redis: redis,
-        PORT: 6378,
-        HOST: {
-            IPv4: "127.0.0.1",
-            IPv6: "::1"
-        }
-    };
-
-    config.configureClient = function (parser, ip, opts) {
+var config = {
+    redis: redis,
+    PORT: 6378,
+    HOST: {
+        IPv4: "127.0.0.1",
+        IPv6: "::1"
+    },
+    configureClient: function (parser, ip, opts) {
         var args = [];
         opts = opts || {};
 
@@ -29,7 +25,7 @@ module.exports = (function () {
         args.push(opts);
 
         return args;
-    };
+    }
+};
 
-    return config;
-})();
+module.exports = config;
diff --git a/test/lib/unref.js b/test/lib/unref.js
index 4ccf51f203..46b03643a3 100644
--- a/test/lib/unref.js
+++ b/test/lib/unref.js
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var redis = require("../../");
-//redis.debug_mode = true
 var HOST = process.argv[2] || '127.0.0.1';
 var PORT = process.argv[3]
 var args = PORT ? [PORT, HOST] : [HOST]