diff --git a/src/assert.cc b/src/assert.cc
index eeb4b36e..a1f82672 100644
--- a/src/assert.cc
+++ b/src/assert.cc
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #include "assert.hh"
 
-#include "exception.hh"
-#include "debug.hh"
 #include "backtrace.hh"
+#include "buffer_utils.hh"
+#include "exception.hh"
 
 #if defined(__CYGWIN__)
 #include <windows.h>
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ bool notify_fatal_error(const String& msg)
 void on_assert_failed(const char* message)
 {
     String debug_info = format("pid: {}\ncallstack:\n{}", getpid(), Backtrace{}.desc());
-    write_debug(format("assert failed: '{}'\n{}", message, debug_info));
+    write_to_debug_buffer(format("assert failed: '{}'\n{}", message, debug_info));
 
     const auto msg = format("{}\n[Debug Infos]\n{}", message, debug_info);
     if (not notify_fatal_error(msg))
diff --git a/src/buffer_utils.cc b/src/buffer_utils.cc
index ff05e781..d208386e 100644
--- a/src/buffer_utils.cc
+++ b/src/buffer_utils.cc
@@ -166,4 +166,23 @@ Buffer* create_fifo_buffer(String name, int fd, bool scroll)
     return buffer;
 }
 
+void write_to_debug_buffer(StringView str)
+{
+    if (not BufferManager::has_instance())
+    {
+        write(2, str.data(), (int)str.length());
+        write(2, "\n", 1);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    const StringView debug_buffer_name = "*debug*";
+    if (Buffer* buffer = BufferManager::instance().get_buffer_ifp(debug_buffer_name))
+        buffer->insert(buffer->end(), str);
+    else
+    {
+        String line = str + ((str.empty() or str.back() != '\n') ? "\n" : "");
+        create_buffer_from_data(line, debug_buffer_name, Buffer::Flags::NoUndo);
+    }
+}
+
 }
diff --git a/src/buffer_utils.hh b/src/buffer_utils.hh
index 591ea455..33609150 100644
--- a/src/buffer_utils.hh
+++ b/src/buffer_utils.hh
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ Buffer* create_buffer_from_data(StringView data, StringView name,
                                 Buffer::Flags flags,
                                 time_t fs_timestamp = InvalidTime);
 
+void write_to_debug_buffer(StringView str);
+
 }
 
 #endif // buffer_utils_hh_INCLUDED
diff --git a/src/commands.cc b/src/commands.cc
index ce32f08e..821a42e9 100644
--- a/src/commands.cc
+++ b/src/commands.cc
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 #include "completion.hh"
 #include "containers.hh"
 #include "context.hh"
-#include "debug.hh"
 #include "event_manager.hh"
 #include "face_registry.hh"
 #include "file.hh"
@@ -870,7 +869,7 @@ const CommandDesc echo_cmd = {
     {
         String message = join(parser, ' ', false);
         if (parser.get_switch("debug"))
-            write_debug(message);
+            write_to_debug_buffer(message);
         else
         {
             auto face = get_face(parser.get_switch("color").value_or("StatusLine").str());
@@ -898,34 +897,34 @@ const CommandDesc debug_cmd = {
     {
         if (parser[0] == "info")
         {
-            write_debug(format("pid: {}", getpid()));
-            write_debug(format("session: {}", Server::instance().session()));
+            write_to_debug_buffer(format("pid: {}", getpid()));
+            write_to_debug_buffer(format("session: {}", Server::instance().session()));
         }
         else if (parser[0] == "buffers")
         {
-            write_debug("Buffers:");
+            write_to_debug_buffer("Buffers:");
             for (auto& buffer : BufferManager::instance())
-                write_debug(buffer->debug_description());
+                write_to_debug_buffer(buffer->debug_description());
         }
         else if (parser[0] == "options")
         {
-            write_debug("Options:");
+            write_to_debug_buffer("Options:");
             for (auto& option : context.options().flatten_options())
-                write_debug(format(" * {}: {}", option->name(), option->get_as_string()));
+                write_to_debug_buffer(format(" * {}: {}", option->name(), option->get_as_string()));
         }
         else if (parser[0] == "memory")
         {
             auto total = 0;
-            write_debug("Memory usage:");
+            write_to_debug_buffer("Memory usage:");
             for (int domain = 0; domain < (int)MemoryDomain::Count; ++domain)
             {
                 size_t count = domain_allocated_bytes[domain];
                 total += count;
-                write_debug(format("  {}: {}", domain_name((MemoryDomain)domain), count));
+                write_to_debug_buffer(format("  {}: {}", domain_name((MemoryDomain)domain), count));
             }
-            write_debug(format("  Total: {}", total));
+            write_to_debug_buffer(format("  Total: {}", total));
             #if defined(__GLIBC__) || defined(__CYGWIN__)
-            write_debug(format("  Malloced: {}", mallinfo().uordblks));
+            write_to_debug_buffer(format("  Malloced: {}", mallinfo().uordblks));
             #endif
         }
         else if (parser[0] == "shared-strings")
@@ -954,7 +953,7 @@ const CommandDesc source_cmd = {
         }
         catch (Kakoune::runtime_error& err)
         {
-            write_debug(format("{}:{}", parser[0], err.what()));
+            write_to_debug_buffer(format("{}:{}", parser[0], err.what()));
             throw;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/debug.cc b/src/debug.cc
deleted file mode 100644
index 799bffb8..00000000
--- a/src/debug.cc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-#include "debug.hh"
-
-#include "assert.hh"
-#include "buffer.hh"
-#include "buffer_manager.hh"
-#include "buffer_utils.hh"
-#include "string.hh"
-
-namespace Kakoune
-{
-
-void write_debug(StringView str)
-{
-    if (not BufferManager::has_instance())
-    {
-        write(2, str.data(), (int)str.length());
-        write(2, "\n", 1);
-        return;
-    }
-
-    const StringView debug_buffer_name = "*debug*";
-    if (Buffer* buffer = BufferManager::instance().get_buffer_ifp(debug_buffer_name))
-        buffer->insert(buffer->end(), str);
-    else
-    {
-        String line = str + ((str.empty() or str.back() != '\n') ? "\n" : "");
-        create_buffer_from_data(line, debug_buffer_name, Buffer::Flags::NoUndo);
-    }
-}
-
-}
diff --git a/src/debug.hh b/src/debug.hh
deleted file mode 100644
index 02e46708..00000000
--- a/src/debug.hh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-#ifndef debug_hh_INCLUDED
-#define debug_hh_INCLUDED
-
-namespace Kakoune
-{
-
-class StringView;
-
-void write_debug(StringView str);
-
-}
-
-#endif // debug_hh_INCLUDED
diff --git a/src/file.cc b/src/file.cc
index 9f299a93..bea46dbb 100644
--- a/src/file.cc
+++ b/src/file.cc
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 #include "buffer.hh"
 #include "buffer_manager.hh"
 #include "buffer_utils.hh"
-#include "debug.hh"
 #include "unicode.hh"
 #include "regex.hh"
 #include "string.hh"
diff --git a/src/hook_manager.cc b/src/hook_manager.cc
index da57a1da..2afb80ac 100644
--- a/src/hook_manager.cc
+++ b/src/hook_manager.cc
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "containers.hh"
 #include "context.hh"
-#include "debug.hh"
+#include "buffer_utils.hh"
 #include "regex.hh"
 
 namespace Kakoune
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ void HookManager::run_hook(StringView hook_name,
         }
         catch (runtime_error& err)
         {
-            write_debug(format("error running hook {}/{}: {}",
+            write_to_debug_buffer(format("error running hook {}/{}: {}",
                                hook_name, hook.first, err.what()));
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/insert_completer.cc b/src/insert_completer.cc
index 24863676..8f3b98c6 100644
--- a/src/insert_completer.cc
+++ b/src/insert_completer.cc
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 #include "buffer_manager.hh"
 #include "buffer_utils.hh"
 #include "context.hh"
-#include "debug.hh"
 #include "display_buffer.hh"
 #include "face_registry.hh"
 #include "file.hh"
@@ -430,7 +429,7 @@ bool InsertCompleter::try_complete(CompleteFunc complete_func)
     }
     catch (runtime_error& e)
     {
-        write_debug(format("error while trying to run completer: {}", e.what()));
+        write_to_debug_buffer(format("error while trying to run completer: {}", e.what()));
         return false;
     }
     if (not m_completions.is_valid())
diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index 3d79d16a..a0bbf0f8 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 #include "commands.hh"
 #include "containers.hh"
 #include "context.hh"
-#include "debug.hh"
 #include "event_manager.hh"
 #include "face_registry.hh"
 #include "file.hh"
@@ -383,7 +382,7 @@ int run_server(StringView session, StringView init_command,
     register_commands();
     register_highlighters();
 
-    write_debug("*** This is the debug buffer, where debug info will be written ***");
+    write_to_debug_buffer("*** This is the debug buffer, where debug info will be written ***");
 
     Server server(session.empty() ? to_string(getpid()) : session.str());
 
@@ -395,11 +394,11 @@ int run_server(StringView session, StringView init_command,
     }
     catch (Kakoune::runtime_error& error)
     {
-        write_debug(format("error while parsing kakrc:\n    {}", error.what()));
+        write_to_debug_buffer(format("error while parsing kakrc:\n    {}", error.what()));
     }
     catch (Kakoune::client_removed&)
     {
-        write_debug("error while parsing kakrc: asked to quit");
+        write_to_debug_buffer("error while parsing kakrc: asked to quit");
     }
 
     {
@@ -419,7 +418,7 @@ int run_server(StringView session, StringView init_command,
     }
     catch (Kakoune::runtime_error& error)
     {
-         write_debug(format("error while opening command line files: {}", error.what()));
+         write_to_debug_buffer(format("error while opening command line files: {}", error.what()));
     }
     else
         new Buffer("*scratch*", Buffer::Flags::None);
diff --git a/src/normal.cc b/src/normal.cc
index f2b983df..20c2ce5a 100644
--- a/src/normal.cc
+++ b/src/normal.cc
@@ -2,15 +2,15 @@
 
 #include "buffer.hh"
 #include "buffer_manager.hh"
+#include "buffer_utils.hh"
 #include "client_manager.hh"
 #include "command_manager.hh"
 #include "commands.hh"
 #include "containers.hh"
 #include "context.hh"
-#include "debug.hh"
 #include "face_registry.hh"
-#include "flags.hh"
 #include "file.hh"
+#include "flags.hh"
 #include "option_manager.hh"
 #include "register_manager.hh"
 #include "selectors.hh"
diff --git a/src/remote.cc b/src/remote.cc
index 3875b3fb..61434c38 100644
--- a/src/remote.cc
+++ b/src/remote.cc
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 #include "remote.hh"
 
 #include "buffer_manager.hh"
+#include "buffer_utils.hh"
 #include "client_manager.hh"
 #include "command_manager.hh"
-#include "debug.hh"
 #include "display_buffer.hh"
 #include "event_manager.hh"
 
@@ -289,12 +289,12 @@ RemoteUI::RemoteUI(int socket)
                                m_input_callback(mode);
                        })
 {
-    write_debug(format("remote client connected: {}", m_socket_watcher.fd()));
+    write_to_debug_buffer(format("remote client connected: {}", m_socket_watcher.fd()));
 }
 
 RemoteUI::~RemoteUI()
 {
-    write_debug(format("remote client disconnected: {}", m_socket_watcher.fd()));
+    write_to_debug_buffer(format("remote client disconnected: {}", m_socket_watcher.fd()));
     m_socket_watcher.close_fd();
 }
 
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ Key RemoteUI::get_key()
     }
     catch (socket_error&)
     {
-        write_debug("ungraceful deconnection detected");
+        write_to_debug_buffer("ungraceful deconnection detected");
         throw client_removed{};
     }
 }
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ private:
                 }
                 catch (runtime_error& e)
                 {
-                    write_debug(format("error running command '{}': {}",
+                    write_to_debug_buffer(format("error running command '{}': {}",
                                        m_buffer, e.what()));
                 }
                 catch (client_removed&) {}
diff --git a/src/shared_string.cc b/src/shared_string.cc
index 2aec6920..b594a56f 100644
--- a/src/shared_string.cc
+++ b/src/shared_string.cc
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #include "shared_string.hh"
-#include "debug.hh"
+#include "buffer_utils.hh"
 
 namespace Kakoune
 {
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ void StringRegistry::purge_unused()
 
 void StringRegistry::debug_stats() const
 {
-    write_debug("Shared Strings stats:");
+    write_to_debug_buffer("Shared Strings stats:");
     size_t total_refcount = 0;
     size_t total_size = 0;
     size_t count = m_strings.size();
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ void StringRegistry::debug_stats() const
         total_refcount += st.m_storage->refcount - 1;
         total_size += (int)st.m_storage->length;
     }
-    write_debug(format("  data size: {}, mean: {}", total_size, (float)total_size/count));
-    write_debug(format("  refcounts: {}, mean: {}", total_refcount, (float)total_refcount/count));
+    write_to_debug_buffer(format("  data size: {}, mean: {}", total_size, (float)total_size/count));
+    write_to_debug_buffer(format("  refcounts: {}, mean: {}", total_refcount, (float)total_refcount/count));
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/shell_manager.cc b/src/shell_manager.cc
index a7dae6cb..ce926ecb 100644
--- a/src/shell_manager.cc
+++ b/src/shell_manager.cc
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #include "shell_manager.hh"
 
 #include "context.hh"
-#include "debug.hh"
+#include "buffer_utils.hh"
 #include "event_manager.hh"
 #include "file.hh"
 
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ std::pair<String, int> ShellManager::eval(
         }
 
         if (not child_stderr.empty())
-            write_debug("shell stderr: <<<\n" + child_stderr + ">>>");
+            write_to_debug_buffer(format("shell stderr: <<<\n{}>>>", child_stderr));
 
         int status = 0;
         waitpid(pid, &status, 0);