diff --git a/src/flog.h b/src/flog.h
index 178016af7..5a4acf5a2 100644
--- a/src/flog.h
+++ b/src/flog.h
@@ -182,3 +182,6 @@ void log_extra_to_flog_file(const wcstring &s);
     } while (0)
 
 #endif
+
+#define should_flog(wht) \
+    (flog_details::category_list_t::g_instance->wht.enabled)
diff --git a/src/io.cpp b/src/io.cpp
index ed241237b..afdc8ec0a 100644
--- a/src/io.cpp
+++ b/src/io.cpp
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ bool io_chain_t::append_from_specs(const redirection_spec_list_t &specs, const w
                         FLOGF(warning, NOCLOB_ERROR, spec.target.c_str());
                     } else {
                         FLOGF(warning, FILE_ERROR, spec.target.c_str());
-                        if (should_debug(1)) wperror(L"open");
+                        if (should_flog(warning)) wperror(L"open");
                     }
                     return false;
                 }