diff --git a/lib/protocol/debug.go b/lib/protocol/debug.go
index fcc4b3b23..717445f70 100644
--- a/lib/protocol/debug.go
+++ b/lib/protocol/debug.go
@@ -16,3 +16,7 @@ var (
 func init() {
 	l.SetDebug("protocol", strings.Contains(os.Getenv("STTRACE"), "protocol") || os.Getenv("STTRACE") == "all")
 }
+
+func shouldDebug() bool {
+	return l.ShouldDebug("protocol")
+}
diff --git a/lib/protocol/protocol.go b/lib/protocol/protocol.go
index 2420bf386..1b89ee097 100644
--- a/lib/protocol/protocol.go
+++ b/lib/protocol/protocol.go
@@ -411,10 +411,12 @@ func (c *rawConnection) readMessage() (hdr header, msg encodable, err error) {
 		l.Debugf("decompressed to %d bytes", len(msgBuf))
 	}
 
-	if len(msgBuf) > 1024 {
-		l.Debugf("message data:\n%s", hex.Dump(msgBuf[:1024]))
-	} else {
-		l.Debugf("message data:\n%s", hex.Dump(msgBuf))
+	if shouldDebug() {
+		if len(msgBuf) > 1024 {
+			l.Debugf("message data:\n%s", hex.Dump(msgBuf[:1024]))
+		} else {
+			l.Debugf("message data:\n%s", hex.Dump(msgBuf))
+		}
 	}
 
 	// We check each returned error for the XDRError.IsEOF() method.