diff --git a/lisp/lib/debug.el b/lisp/lib/debug.el
index a175640d6..c975a61ab 100644
--- a/lisp/lib/debug.el
+++ b/lisp/lib/debug.el
@@ -52,11 +52,11 @@ symbol and CDR is the value to set it to when `doom-debug-mode' is activated.")
                     var (if (not enabled)
                             (prog1 (get var 'initial-value)
                               (put var 'initial-value nil))
-                          (put var 'initial-value (symbol-value var))
+                          (put var 'initial-value (default-toplevel-value var))
                           val))
                  (add-to-list 'doom-debug--undefined-vars var))))
             ((if (boundp var)
-                 (set-default var enabled)
+                 (set-default-toplevel-value var enabled)
                (add-to-list 'doom-debug--undefined-vars var)))))
     (when (called-interactively-p 'any)
       (when (fboundp 'explain-pause-mode)