diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 285b26b6..70341829 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ the Wine prefix. Removing the option will revert to the previous behavior.
 
 | Compat config string  | Environment Variable           | Description  |
 | :-------------------- | :----------------------------- | :----------- |
+|                       | <tt>PROTON_LOG</tt>            | Convenience method for dumping a useful debug log to `$HOME/steam-$APPID.log`. For more thorough logging, use `user_settings.py`. |
 | <tt>wined3d11</tt>    | <tt>PROTON_USE_WINED3D11</tt>  | Use OpenGL-based wined3d instead of Vulkan-based DXVK for d3d11. |
 | <tt>nod3d11</tt>      | <tt>PROTON_NO_D3D11</tt>       | Disable <tt>d3d11.dll</tt>, for games which can fall back to and run better with d3d9. |
 | <tt>noesync</tt>      | <tt>PROTON_NO_ESYNC</tt>       | Do not use eventfd-based in-process synchronization primitives. |
diff --git a/proton b/proton
index c88d7209..fd186600 100755
--- a/proton
+++ b/proton
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ with dist_lock:
 prefix = os.environ["STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH"] + "/pfx/"
 env["WINEPREFIX"] = prefix
 
+if "PROTON_LOG" in env:
+    env["WINEDEBUG"] = "+timestamp,+pid,+tid,+seh,+debugstr,+module"
+
 #load environment overrides
 if os.path.exists(basedir + "/user_settings.py"):
     try: