diff --git a/elf/dl-main.h b/elf/dl-main.h
index 92766d06b4..f876904cb6 100644
--- a/elf/dl-main.h
+++ b/elf/dl-main.h
@@ -97,9 +97,6 @@ struct dl_main_state
   /* True if program should be also printed for rtld_mode_trace.  */
   bool mode_trace_program;
 
-  /* True if any of the debugging options is enabled.  */
-  bool any_debug;
-
   /* True if information about versions has to be printed.  */
   bool version_info;
 };
diff --git a/elf/rtld.c b/elf/rtld.c
index e7f90d37e7..638b019670 100644
--- a/elf/rtld.c
+++ b/elf/rtld.c
@@ -300,7 +300,6 @@ dl_main_state_init (struct dl_main_state *state)
   state->glibc_hwcaps_prepend = NULL;
   state->glibc_hwcaps_mask = NULL;
   state->mode = rtld_mode_normal;
-  state->any_debug = false;
   state->version_info = false;
 }
 
@@ -2481,7 +2480,6 @@ process_dl_debug (struct dl_main_state *state, const char *dl_debug)
 		&& memcmp (dl_debug, debopts[cnt].name, len) == 0)
 	      {
 		GLRO(dl_debug_mask) |= debopts[cnt].mask;
-		state->any_debug = true;
 		break;
 	      }
 
@@ -2682,7 +2680,7 @@ process_envvars (struct dl_main_state *state)
   /* If we have to run the dynamic linker in debugging mode and the
      LD_DEBUG_OUTPUT environment variable is given, we write the debug
      messages to this file.  */
-  else if (state->any_debug && debug_output != NULL)
+  else if (GLRO(dl_debug_mask) != 0 && debug_output != NULL)
     {
       const int flags = O_WRONLY | O_APPEND | O_CREAT | O_NOFOLLOW;
       size_t name_len = strlen (debug_output);