diff --git a/libexec/bats-exec-test b/libexec/bats-exec-test
index d4c21b3..20d10f8 100755
--- a/libexec/bats-exec-test
+++ b/libexec/bats-exec-test
@@ -23,6 +23,13 @@ fi
 BATS_TEST_DIRNAME="$(dirname "$BATS_TEST_FILENAME")"
 BATS_TEST_NAMES=()
 
+# if DEBUG is set, write the given string to the console.
+decho() {
+  if [[ -n "$DEBUG" ]]; then
+    echo "# DEBUG: " $@ >&3
+  fi
+}
+
 load() {
   local filename="$BATS_TEST_DIRNAME/$1.bash"
   [ -f "$filename" ] || {
diff --git a/test/bats.bats b/test/bats.bats
index fe24cd7..f6ec532 100755
--- a/test/bats.bats
+++ b/test/bats.bats
@@ -110,3 +110,16 @@ fixtures bats
   run bats "$FIXTURE_ROOT/dos_line.bats"
   [ $status -eq 0 ]
 }
+
+@test "test should not output DEBUG line if DEBUG is not set" {
+  run bats "$FIXTURE_ROOT/debug.bats"
+  [ $status -eq 0 ]
+  [[ ! $(echo $output | grep DEBUG) ]]
+}
+
+@test "test should output DEBUG line if DEBUG is set" {
+  export DEBUG=1
+  run bats "$FIXTURE_ROOT/debug.bats"
+  [ $status -eq 0 ]
+  echo $output | grep DEBUG
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/bats/debug.bats b/test/fixtures/bats/debug.bats
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d32d3a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/bats/debug.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bats
+
+@test "this test contains decho call" {
+  decho "testing decho"
+  [[ 1 -eq 1 ]]
+}