diff --git a/src/hub.html b/src/hub.html
index 62d4984389c245fcbba362f07292d16b23864bd1..b72fa2461f370c3dd8b95f7f90da0ff63440aefd 100644
--- a/src/hub.html
+++ b/src/hub.html
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@
     <% } else { %>
         <script src="https://cdn.rawgit.com/aframevr/aframe/3e7a4b3/dist/aframe-master.js" integrity="sha384-EaMOuyBOi9ERV/lVDwQgz/yFWBDWPsIju5Co6oCZZHXuvbLBO81yPWn80q0BbBn3" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
     <% } %>
+
+    <script>
+        // HACK this has to run after A-Frame but before our bundle, since A-Frame blows away the local storage setting
+        if (/[&?]debug=true/.test(document.location.search) && typeof(localStorage) !== 'undefined') {
+            localStorage.debug = "naf-janus-adapter:*";
+        }
+    </script>
 </head>
 
 <body data-html-prefix="<%= HTML_PREFIX %>">
diff --git a/src/hub.js b/src/hub.js
index 97470e1db7add15cec671b179c3e4f3568c087a6..8cc85a0c7adfcb6144836bb198c631053a9af909 100644
--- a/src/hub.js
+++ b/src/hub.js
@@ -132,17 +132,11 @@ function qsTruthy(param) {
 const isBotMode = qsTruthy("bot");
 const isTelemetryDisabled = qsTruthy("disable_telemetry");
 const isDebug = qsTruthy("debug");
-const logFilter = qs["log_filter"] || (isDebug && "naf-janus-adapter:*");
 
 if (!isBotMode && !isTelemetryDisabled) {
   registerTelemetry();
 }
 
-// NOTE: this needs to happen after a-frame's `utils/debug.js` file has been eval'ed because it overwrites any prior debug settings :/
-if (logFilter) {
-  debug.enable(logFilter);
-}
-
 disableiOSZoom();
 
 AFRAME.registerInputBehaviour("trackpad_dpad4", trackpad_dpad4);