diff --git a/debian/scripts/koha-functions.sh b/debian/scripts/koha-functions.sh
index 367260a429..8f2d15c944 100755
--- a/debian/scripts/koha-functions.sh
+++ b/debian/scripts/koha-functions.sh
@@ -401,20 +401,20 @@ is_git_install()
     fi
 }
 
-is_test_system()
+is_debug_mode()
 {
-    local instancename=$1 test_system
+    local instancename=$1 debug_mode
 
-    # env var TEST_SYSTEM overrules koha-conf entry
-    if [ -n "$TEST_SYSTEM" ]; then
-        if [ "$TEST_SYSTEM" != "0" ]; then return 0; else return 1; fi
+    # env var DEBUG_MODE overrules koha-conf entry
+    if [ -n "$DEBUG_MODE" ]; then
+        if [ "$DEBUG_MODE" != "0" ]; then return 0; else return 1; fi
     fi
 
     # now check koha-conf
     if [ "$instancename" != "" ] && is_instance $instancename; then
-        test_system=$(run_safe_xmlstarlet $instancename test_system)
+        debug_mode=$(run_safe_xmlstarlet $instancename debug_mode)
     fi
-    if [ -n "$test_system" ] && [ "test_system" != "0" ]; then
+    if [ -n "$debug_mode" ] && [ "debug_mode" != "0" ]; then
         return 0; # true
     else
         return 1
diff --git a/debian/scripts/koha-plack b/debian/scripts/koha-plack
index 3e9816a400..661b490cad 100755
--- a/debian/scripts/koha-plack
+++ b/debian/scripts/koha-plack
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ start_plack()
 
     instance_user="${instancename}-koha"
 
-    if is_test_system ${instancename} || [ -n "$development_environment" ]; then
+    if is_debug_mode ${instancename} || [ -n "$development_environment" ]; then
         environment="development"
     else
         environment="deployment"
diff --git a/debian/scripts/koha-z3950-responder b/debian/scripts/koha-z3950-responder
index d8c4a49add..97fd6b88fa 100755
--- a/debian/scripts/koha-z3950-responder
+++ b/debian/scripts/koha-z3950-responder
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ start_z3950()
     logging="-l /var/log/koha/${instancename}/z3950.log"
 
     Z3950RESPONDER="/usr/bin/perl $KOHA_HOME/$KOHA_BINDIR/z3950_responder.pl"
-    if [ "$debug_mode" = "yes" ] && is_test_system $instancename; then
+    if [ "$debug_mode" = "yes" ] && is_debug_mode $instancename; then
         environment="development"
         daemonize=""
         logging="" # remote debugger takes care
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ if [ $# -gt 0 ]; then
             PERL5LIB=$PERL5LIB:$KOHA_HOME/installer:$KOHA_HOME/lib/installer
             # If debug mode is enabled, add the debugger lib path
             # to PERL5LIB if appropriate
-            if [ "$debug_mode" = "yes" ] && is_test_system $name; then
+            if [ "$debug_mode" = "yes" ] && is_debug_mode $name; then
                 if [ "$debugger_path" != "" ]; then
                     PERL5LIB="${debugger_path}":$PERL5LIB
                 fi
diff --git a/debian/templates/koha-conf-site.xml.in b/debian/templates/koha-conf-site.xml.in
index 2c54b885b9..7da3ee0dc3 100644
--- a/debian/templates/koha-conf-site.xml.in
+++ b/debian/templates/koha-conf-site.xml.in
@@ -411,9 +411,9 @@ __END_SRU_PUBLICSERVER__
 
  <!-- flags for development purposes
       git_install is used to adjust some paths specific to git installations (fka dev_install)
-      test_system is used to differentiate production from test systems (see for example koha-plack) -->
+      debug_mode is used to differentiate production from test systems (see for example koha-plack) -->
  <git_install>0</git_install>
- <test_system>0</test_system>
+ <debug_mode>0</debug_mode>
 
  <!-- strict_sql_modes should not be used in a production environment
       developers use it to catch bugs related to strict SQL modes -->
diff --git a/etc/koha-conf.xml b/etc/koha-conf.xml
index 5141a84df6..a662ed0cab 100644
--- a/etc/koha-conf.xml
+++ b/etc/koha-conf.xml
@@ -230,9 +230,9 @@
 
  <!-- flags for development purposes
       git_install is used to adjust some paths specific to git installations (fka dev_install)
-      test_system is used to differentiate production from test systems (see for example koha-plack) -->
+      debug_mode is used to differentiate production from test systems (see for example koha-plack) -->
  <git_install>0</git_install>
- <test_system>0</test_system>
+ <debug_mode>0</debug_mode>
 
  <!-- strict_sql_modes should not be used in a production environment
       developers use it to catch bugs related to strict SQL modes -->