diff --git a/src/gtest/main.cpp b/src/gtest/main.cpp
index 3caecf851..851b110ac 100644
--- a/src/gtest/main.cpp
+++ b/src/gtest/main.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "gmock/gmock.h"
+#include "init.h"
 #include "key.h"
 #include "pubkey.h"
 #include "util.h"
@@ -6,6 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "librustzcash.h"
 #include <sodium.h>
+#include <tracing.h>
 
 const std::function<std::string(const char*)> G_TRANSLATION_FUN = nullptr;
 
@@ -20,6 +22,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
   assert(sodium_init() != -1);
   ECC_Start();
 
+  // Log all errors to stdout so we see them in test output.
+  std::string initialFilter = "error";
+  pTracingHandle = tracing_init(
+      nullptr, 0,
+      initialFilter.c_str(),
+      false);
+
   testing::InitGoogleMock(&argc, argv);
 
   // The "threadsafe" style is necessary for correct operation of death/exit
diff --git a/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp b/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
index f3360fe19..a1fb0f2d7 100644
--- a/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/thread.hpp>
 #include <sodium.h>
+#include <tracing.h>
 
 #include "librustzcash.h"
 
@@ -74,7 +75,18 @@ BasicTestingSetup::BasicTestingSetup(const std::string& chainName)
     ECC_Start();
     SetupEnvironment();
     SetupNetworking();
-    fPrintToDebugLog = false; // don't want to write to debug.log file
+
+    // Uncomment this to log all errors to stdout so we see them in test output.
+    // We don't enable this by default because several tests intentionally cause
+    // verbose error output (while exercising failure cases).
+    // if (pTracingHandle == nullptr) {
+    //     std::string initialFilter = "error";
+    //     pTracingHandle = tracing_init(
+    //         nullptr, 0,
+    //         initialFilter.c_str(),
+    //         false);
+    // }
+
     fCheckBlockIndex = true;
     SelectParams(chainName);
     noui_connect();