diff --git a/systemvm/patches/debian/config/etc/init.d/cloud b/systemvm/patches/debian/config/etc/init.d/cloud
index 83853bcd4ef..1f4f9ef9621 100755
--- a/systemvm/patches/debian/config/etc/init.d/cloud
+++ b/systemvm/patches/debian/config/etc/init.d/cloud
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ ENABLED=0
 
 CMDLINE=$(cat /var/cache/cloud/cmdline)
 
+if [ ! -z $CLOUD_DEBUG ];then
+  LOG_FILE=/var/log/cloud/cloud.out
+else
+  LOG_FILE=/dev/null
+fi
+
 TYPE="router"
 for i in $CMDLINE
   do
@@ -98,7 +104,7 @@ start() {
    then
      if [ "$pid" == "" ]
      then
-       (cd $CLOUDSTACK_HOME/systemvm; nohup ./run.sh > /var/log/cloud/cloud.out 2>&1 & )
+       (cd $CLOUDSTACK_HOME/systemvm; nohup ./run.sh > $LOG_FILE 2>&1 & )
        pid=$(get_pids)
        echo $pid > /var/run/cloud.pid 
      fi