diff --git a/nodes/core/core/58-debug.html b/nodes/core/core/58-debug.html
index 1d26a4aed..cceea14bc 100644
--- a/nodes/core/core/58-debug.html
+++ b/nodes/core/core/58-debug.html
@@ -52,13 +52,13 @@
 <script type="text/javascript">
 
     function oneditprepare() {
-        if (this.complete === "true") {
+        if (this.complete === "true" || this.complete === true) {
             // show complete message object
-            $("#node-input-select-complete").val(this.complete);
+            $("#node-input-select-complete").val("true");
             $("#node-prop-row").hide();
         } else {
             // show msg.[   ]
-            var property = (this.complete === "false") ? "payload" : this.complete;
+            var property = (!this.complete||(this.complete === "false")) ? "payload" : this.complete+"";
             $("#node-input-select-complete").val("false");
             $("#node-input-complete").val(property);
             $("#node-prop-row").show();
@@ -85,10 +85,10 @@
             complete: {value:"false", required:true}
         },
         label: function() {
-            if (this.complete === "true") {
+            if (this.complete === true || this.complete === "true") {
                 return this.name||"msg";
             } else {
-                return this.name || "msg." + (this.complete === "false" ? "payload" : this.complete);
+                return this.name || "msg." + ((!this.complete || this.complete === "false") ? "payload" : this.complete);
             }
         },
         labelStyle: function() {
diff --git a/nodes/core/core/58-debug.js b/nodes/core/core/58-debug.js
index 77963d039..b8106e2b0 100644
--- a/nodes/core/core/58-debug.js
+++ b/nodes/core/core/58-debug.js
@@ -24,7 +24,15 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
     function DebugNode(n) {
         RED.nodes.createNode(this,n);
         this.name = n.name;
-        this.complete = n.complete;
+        this.complete = n.complete||"payload";
+        
+        if (this.complete === "false") {
+            this.complete = "payload";
+        }
+        if (this.complete === true) {
+            this.complete = "true";
+        }
+        
         this.console = n.console;
         this.active = (n.active === null || typeof n.active === "undefined") || n.active;
         var node = this;
@@ -50,13 +58,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                             return obj[i];
                         }, msg);
                     } catch (err) {
-                        node.warn(err);
-                        return;
-                    }
-
-                    if (!output) {
-                        node.warn("msg." + this.complete + " does not exist");
-                        return;
+                        output = undefined;
                     }
                 }
                 if (this.console === "true") {