diff --git a/docs/labwc.1.scd b/docs/labwc.1.scd
index 2bb66572..4e643918 100644
--- a/docs/labwc.1.scd
+++ b/docs/labwc.1.scd
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ the `--exit` and `--reconfigure` options use.
 	Specify a config directory
 
 *-d, --debug*
-	Enable full logging, including debug information
+	Enable full logging, including debug information. See *ENVIRONMENT
+	VARIABLES* section below for further options.
 
 *-e, --exit*
 	Exit the compositor by sending SIGTERM to `$LABWC_PID`
@@ -117,6 +118,32 @@ this is accomplished by setting the session variables to empty strings. For
 systemd, the command `systemctl --user unset-environment` will be invoked to
 actually remove the variables from the activation environment.
 
+# ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
+
+Set the environment variables listed below to enable specific debug options.
+This can be done in either the *environment* file or on the command line, for
+example: *LABWC_DEBUG_FOO=1 labwc*.
+
+*LABWC_DEBUG_LIBSFDO*
+	Enable debug and info logging for libsfdo, for example for parsing of
+	.desktop files and searching for icons. Note that libsfdo error logging
+	is always enabled regardless of this environment variable but will only
+	be shown with the *-V|--version* option.
+
+*LABWC_DEBUG_DIR_CONFIG_AND_THEME*
+	Increase logging of paths for config files (for example rc.xml,
+	autostart, environment and menu.xml) as well as titlebar buttons.
+
+*LABWC_DEBUG_CONFIG_NODENAMES*++
+*LABWC_DEBUG_MENU_NODENAMES*
+	Enable logging of all nodenames (for example *policy.placement: Cascade*
+	for *<placement><policy>Cascade</policy></placement>*) for config and
+	menu files respectively.
+
+*LABWC_DEBUG_KEY_STATE*
+	Enable logging of press and release events for bound keys (generally
+	key-combinations like *Ctrl-Alt-t*)
+
 # SEE ALSO
 
 labwc-actions(5), labwc-config(5), labwc-menu(5), labwc-theme(5)
diff --git a/src/desktop-entry.c b/src/desktop-entry.c
index fe5c2379..658dd7eb 100644
--- a/src/desktop-entry.c
+++ b/src/desktop-entry.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include <sfdo-desktop.h>
 #include <sfdo-icon.h>
 #include <sfdo-basedir.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <strings.h>
 #include <wlr/util/log.h>
@@ -13,6 +14,8 @@
 
 #include "labwc.h"
 
+static const char *debug_libsfdo;
+
 struct sfdo {
 	struct sfdo_desktop_ctx *desktop_ctx;
 	struct sfdo_icon_ctx *icon_ctx;
@@ -23,6 +26,23 @@ struct sfdo {
 static void
 log_handler(enum sfdo_log_level level, const char *fmt, va_list args, void *tag)
 {
+	/*
+	 * libsfdo info/debug logging is only provided when LABWC_DEBUG_LIBSFDO
+	 * is set to avoid disproportionately verbose logging by default for one
+	 * particularly sub-system.
+	 */
+	if (!debug_libsfdo && level > SFDO_LOG_LEVEL_ERROR) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * To avoid logging issues with .desktop files as errors, all libsfdo
+	 * error-logging is demoted to info level.
+	 */
+	if (level == SFDO_LOG_LEVEL_ERROR) {
+		level = SFDO_LOG_LEVEL_INFO;
+	}
+
 	/* add a prefix if the format length is reasonable */
 	char buf[256];
 	if (snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "[%s] %s", (const char *)tag, fmt)
@@ -38,6 +58,8 @@ desktop_entry_init(struct server *server)
 {
 	struct sfdo *sfdo = znew(*sfdo);
 
+	debug_libsfdo = getenv("LABWC_DEBUG_LIBSFDO");
+
 	struct sfdo_basedir_ctx *basedir_ctx = sfdo_basedir_ctx_create();
 	if (!basedir_ctx) {
 		goto err_basedir_ctx;