diff --git a/src/agent/check-approval.ts b/src/agent/check-approval.ts
index 2d3a146..ac75764 100644
--- a/src/agent/check-approval.ts
+++ b/src/agent/check-approval.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import type Letta from "@letta-ai/letta-client";
 import type { AgentState } from "@letta-ai/letta-client/resources/agents/agents";
 import type { Message } from "@letta-ai/letta-client/resources/agents/messages";
 import type { ApprovalRequest } from "../cli/helpers/stream";
+import { debugWarn } from "../utils/debug";
 
 // Number of recent messages to backfill when resuming a session
 const MESSAGE_HISTORY_LIMIT = 15;
@@ -62,8 +63,9 @@ export async function getResumeData(
       inContextLastMessageId &&
       cursorLastMessage.id !== inContextLastMessageId
     ) {
-      console.warn(
-        `[check-approval] Desync detected:\n` +
+      debugWarn(
+        "check-approval",
+        `Desync detected:\n` +
           `  cursor last: ${cursorLastMessage.id} (type: ${cursorLastMessage.message_type})\n` +
           `  in-context last: ${inContextLastMessageId} (type: unknown until found)`,
       );
@@ -84,8 +86,9 @@ export async function getResumeData(
         const inContextMessage = approvalMessage ?? lastMessage;
 
         if (inContextMessage) {
-          console.warn(
-            `[check-approval] Found in-context message (type: ${inContextMessage.message_type})` +
+          debugWarn(
+            "check-approval",
+            `Found in-context message (type: ${inContextMessage.message_type})` +
               (matchingMessages.length > 1
                 ? ` - had ${matchingMessages.length} duplicates`
                 : ""),
@@ -93,8 +96,9 @@ export async function getResumeData(
           messageToCheck = inContextMessage;
         }
       } else {
-        console.warn(
-          `[check-approval] In-context message ${inContextLastMessageId} not found in cursor fetch.\n` +
+        debugWarn(
+          "check-approval",
+          `In-context message ${inContextLastMessageId} not found in cursor fetch.\n` +
             `  This likely means the in-context message is older than the cursor window.\n` +
             `  Falling back to cursor message - approval state may be incorrect.`,
         );
@@ -110,11 +114,10 @@ export async function getResumeData(
     const lastStopReason = (agent as { last_stop_reason?: string })
       .last_stop_reason;
     if (lastStopReason === "requires_approval") {
-      console.warn(
-        `[check-approval] Agent last_stop_reason: ${lastStopReason}`,
-      );
-      console.warn(
-        `[check-approval] Message to check: ${messageToCheck.id} (type: ${messageToCheck.message_type})`,
+      debugWarn("check-approval", `Agent last_stop_reason: ${lastStopReason}`);
+      debugWarn(
+        "check-approval",
+        `Message to check: ${messageToCheck.id} (type: ${messageToCheck.message_type})`,
       );
     }
 
@@ -162,8 +165,9 @@ export async function getResumeData(
       // Set legacy singular field for backward compatibility (first approval only)
       if (pendingApprovals.length > 0) {
         pendingApproval = pendingApprovals[0] || null;
-        console.warn(
-          `[check-approval] Found ${pendingApprovals.length} pending approval(s): ${pendingApprovals.map((a) => a.toolName).join(", ")}`,
+        debugWarn(
+          "check-approval",
+          `Found ${pendingApprovals.length} pending approval(s): ${pendingApprovals.map((a) => a.toolName).join(", ")}`,
         );
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/cli/helpers/stream.ts b/src/cli/helpers/stream.ts
index 68f98fa..f5462b4 100644
--- a/src/cli/helpers/stream.ts
+++ b/src/cli/helpers/stream.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import type { Stream } from "@letta-ai/letta-client/core/streaming";
 import type { LettaStreamingResponse } from "@letta-ai/letta-client/resources/agents/messages";
 import type { StopReasonType } from "@letta-ai/letta-client/resources/runs/runs";
 import { getClient } from "../../agent/client";
+import { debugWarn } from "../../utils/debug";
 
 import {
   type createBuffers,
@@ -179,10 +180,11 @@ export async function drainStream(
     }));
 
     if (approvals.length === 0) {
-      console.error(
-        "[drainStream] No approvals collected despite requires_approval stop reason",
+      debugWarn(
+        "drainStream",
+        "No approvals collected despite requires_approval stop reason",
       );
-      console.error("[drainStream] Pending approvals map:", allPending);
+      debugWarn("drainStream", "Pending approvals map:", allPending);
     } else {
       // Set legacy singular field for backward compatibility
       approval = approvals[0] || null;
diff --git a/src/utils/debug.ts b/src/utils/debug.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..57048fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/debug.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+// src/utils/debug.ts
+// Simple debug logging utility - only logs when LETTA_DEBUG env var is set
+
+/**
+ * Check if debug mode is enabled via LETTA_DEBUG env var
+ * Set LETTA_DEBUG=1 or LETTA_DEBUG=true to enable debug logging
+ */
+export function isDebugEnabled(): boolean {
+  const debug = process.env.LETTA_DEBUG;
+  return debug === "1" || debug === "true";
+}
+
+/**
+ * Log a debug message (only if LETTA_DEBUG is enabled)
+ * @param prefix - A prefix/tag for the log message (e.g., "check-approval")
+ * @param message - The message to log
+ * @param args - Additional arguments to log
+ */
+export function debugLog(
+  prefix: string,
+  message: string,
+  ...args: unknown[]
+): void {
+  if (isDebugEnabled()) {
+    console.log(`[${prefix}] ${message}`, ...args);
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Log a debug warning (only if LETTA_DEBUG is enabled)
+ * @param prefix - A prefix/tag for the log message
+ * @param message - The message to log
+ * @param args - Additional arguments to log
+ */
+export function debugWarn(
+  prefix: string,
+  message: string,
+  ...args: unknown[]
+): void {
+  if (isDebugEnabled()) {
+    console.warn(`[${prefix}] ${message}`, ...args);
+  }
+}