diff --git a/src/debug.cc b/src/debug.cc
index 4fe802bf..d170f843 100644
--- a/src/debug.cc
+++ b/src/debug.cc
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "assert.hh"
 #include "buffer_manager.hh"
+#include "editor.hh"
 
 namespace Kakoune
 {
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ static Buffer& get_or_create_debug_buffer()
     Buffer* buffer = BufferManager::instance().get_buffer(debug_buffer_name);
 
     if (not buffer)
-        buffer = new Buffer(debug_buffer_name, Buffer::Type::Scratch, "\n");
+        buffer = new Buffer(debug_buffer_name, Buffer::Type::Scratch, "");
 
     assert(buffer);
     return *buffer;
@@ -21,7 +22,9 @@ static Buffer& get_or_create_debug_buffer()
 void write_debug(const std::string& str)
 {
     Buffer& debug_buffer = get_or_create_debug_buffer();
-    debug_buffer.modify(Modification::make_insert(debug_buffer.end()-1, str));
+    Editor editor(debug_buffer);
+    editor.select(debug_buffer.end());
+    editor.insert(str);
 }
 
 }