diff --git a/bin/reth/src/main.rs b/bin/reth/src/main.rs
index ea057ee6b3..758682c4de 100644
--- a/bin/reth/src/main.rs
+++ b/bin/reth/src/main.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ compile_error!("Cannot build the `reth` binary with the `optimism` feature flag
 
 #[cfg(not(feature = "optimism"))]
 fn main() {
+    // Enable backtraces unless a RUST_BACKTRACE value has already been explicitly provided.
+    if std::env::var("RUST_BACKTRACE").is_err() {
+        std::env::set_var("RUST_BACKTRACE", "1");
+    }
+
     if let Err(err) = reth::cli::run() {
         eprintln!("Error: {err:?}");
         std::process::exit(1);
diff --git a/bin/reth/src/optimism.rs b/bin/reth/src/optimism.rs
index 89ba2dd840..dbd980b1e4 100644
--- a/bin/reth/src/optimism.rs
+++ b/bin/reth/src/optimism.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ compile_error!("Cannot build the `op-reth` binary with the `optimism` feature fl
 
 #[cfg(feature = "optimism")]
 fn main() {
+    // Enable backtraces unless a RUST_BACKTRACE value has already been explicitly provided.
+    if std::env::var("RUST_BACKTRACE").is_err() {
+        std::env::set_var("RUST_BACKTRACE", "1");
+    }
+
     if let Err(err) = reth::cli::run() {
         eprintln!("Error: {err:?}");
         std::process::exit(1);