diff --git a/src/plugins/sched/backfill/backfill.c b/src/plugins/sched/backfill/backfill.c
index 62d1c9d6271d6f6f77e43d3fd0ab97095f41f4d7..84a4e97c83d30fab14a7b1e88eaa7fb956ab4461 100644
--- a/src/plugins/sched/backfill/backfill.c
+++ b/src/plugins/sched/backfill/backfill.c
@@ -619,6 +619,8 @@ static int _attempt_backfill(void)
 	START_TIMER;
 	if (debug_flags & DEBUG_FLAG_BACKFILL)
 		info("backfill: beginning");
+	else
+		debug("backfill: beginning");
 	sched_start = now = time(NULL);
 
 	if (slurm_get_root_filter())