diff --git a/init/src/main.rs b/init/src/main.rs
index 40591d8647..1148eeacd1 100644
--- a/init/src/main.rs
+++ b/init/src/main.rs
@@ -113,7 +113,10 @@ fn switch_root(unit_store: &mut UnitStore, config: &mut InitConfig, prefix: &Pat
 }
 
 fn main() {
-    eprintln!("INIT: main() entered");
+    if let Ok(mut f) = std::fs::OpenOptions::new().write(true).open("/scheme/debug/no-preserve") {
+        use std::io::Write;
+        let _ = writeln!(f, "INIT: main() entered");
+    }
     let mut init_config = InitConfig::new();
     let mut unit_store = UnitStore::new();
     let mut scheduler = Scheduler::new();