diff --git a/pkg/executor/common.go b/pkg/executor/common.go
index 0a281c8dca2..00b934d258b 100644
--- a/pkg/executor/common.go
+++ b/pkg/executor/common.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ const (
 var RunnerEnvVars = []corev1.EnvVar{
 	{
 		Name:  "DEBUG",
-		Value: os.Getenv("DEBUG"),
+		Value: getOr("DEBUG", "false"),
 	},
 	{
 		Name:  "RUNNER_ENDPOINT",
diff --git a/pkg/executor/containerexecutor/containerexecutor_test.go b/pkg/executor/containerexecutor/containerexecutor_test.go
index f11ac56f194..2e5a34bedae 100644
--- a/pkg/executor/containerexecutor/containerexecutor_test.go
+++ b/pkg/executor/containerexecutor/containerexecutor_test.go
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ func TestNewExecutorJobSpecWithArgs(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NotNil(t, spec)
 
 	wantEnvs := []corev1.EnvVar{
-		{Name: "DEBUG", Value: ""},
+		{Name: "DEBUG", Value: "false"},
 		{Name: "RUNNER_ENDPOINT", Value: ""},
 		{Name: "RUNNER_ACCESSKEYID", Value: ""},
 		{Name: "RUNNER_SECRETACCESSKEY", Value: ""},