diff --git a/contrib/unbound.service.in b/contrib/unbound.service.in
index c5f95c76c..6726f9d8c 100644
--- a/contrib/unbound.service.in
+++ b/contrib/unbound.service.in
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ WantedBy=multi-user.target
 
 [Service]
 ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
-ExecStart=@UNBOUND_SBIN_DIR@/unbound
+ExecStart=@UNBOUND_SBIN_DIR@/unbound -d
 NotifyAccess=main
 Type=notify
 CapabilityBoundingSet=CAP_IPC_LOCK CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE CAP_SETGID CAP_SETUID CAP_SYS_CHROOT CAP_SYS_RESOURCE CAP_NET_RAW