diff --git a/src/start.rs b/src/start.rs
index 915056e5b5..481f13632c 100644
--- a/src/start.rs
+++ b/src/start.rs
@@ -160,6 +160,14 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn relibc_start_v1(
         static __init_array_end: extern "C" fn();
     }
 
+    // DEBUG: Earliest possible output before any other init
+    if let Ok(mut f) = unsafe {
+        redox_rt::call::open("/scheme/debug/no-preserve", redox_rt::flag::O_WRONLY, 0)
+    } {
+        let _ = redox_rt::call::write(f.as_raw_fd(), b"START: relibc_start_v1 entered\n");
+        let _ = redox_rt::call::close(f.as_raw_fd());
+    }
+
     // Ensure correct host system before executing more system calls
     unsafe { relibc_verify_host() };