diff --git a/debug.cpp b/debug.cpp
index 336ada2d..286b980b 100644
--- a/debug.cpp
+++ b/debug.cpp
@@ -68,24 +68,29 @@ warn (const char *msg)
 
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-#if defined(PLATFORM_WIN32)
-// TODO: actually perform initialisation
-void cruft::debug::init (void) { ; }
-#endif
+static void abort_with_info (void)
+{
+    LOG_ALERT ("aborting: %!", debug::backtrace {});
 
-#if !defined(PLATFORM_WIN32)
+}
+
+
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void
 cruft::debug::init [[gnu::constructor]] (void)
 {
-    if (debug_enabled || getenv("DEBUG")) {
-        LOG_INFO ("minimal debug setup");
-        //enable_fpe ();
-        force_console ();
-        prepare_debugger ();
+    std::set_terminate (abort_with_info);
 
-        if (getenv ("DEBUG_WAIT"))
-            await_debugger ();
-    }
+    if (!debug_enabled && !getenv ("DEBUG"))
+        return;
+
+    LOG_DEBUG ("setting debug environment");
+    //enable_fpe ();
+    force_console ();
+    prepare_debugger ();
+
+    if (getenv ("DEBUG_WAIT"))
+        await_debugger ();
 }
 
 
@@ -100,7 +105,6 @@ debug_wait [[gnu::constructor]] (void)
             await_debugger ();
     }
 }
-#endif
 
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////