diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/checksum.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/checksum.py
index f927d2d922a..8a03ebc12c2 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/checksum.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/checksum.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 from llnl.util import tty
 
 import spack.cmd
+import spack.config
 import spack.repo
 import spack.spec
 import spack.stage
@@ -275,4 +276,4 @@ def add_versions_to_package(pkg: PackageBase, version_lines: str):
         tty.msg(f"Open {filename} to review the additions.")
 
     if sys.stdout.isatty():
-        editor(filename)
+        editor(filename, debug=spack.config.get('config:debug'))
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/config.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/config.py
index e7d459ff77c..7458088fd11 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/config.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/config.py
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ def config_edit(args):
     if args.print_file:
         print(config_file)
     else:
-        editor(config_file)
+        editor(config_file, debug=spack.config.get('config:debug'))
 
 
 def config_list(args):
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/create.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/create.py
index f9d4c30a3db..b5dc399e6e6 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/create.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/create.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 import llnl.util.tty as tty
 from llnl.util.filesystem import mkdirp
 
+import spack.config
 import spack.repo
 import spack.stage
 import spack.util.web
@@ -986,4 +987,4 @@ def create(parser, args):
 
     # Optionally open up the new package file in your $EDITOR
     if not args.skip_editor:
-        editor(pkg_path)
+        editor(pkg_path, debug=spack.config.get('config:debug'))
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/edit.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/edit.py
index 79f441a67ad..000e30dc266 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/edit.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/edit.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import llnl.util.tty as tty
 
 import spack.cmd
+import spack.config
 import spack.paths
 import spack.repo
 from spack.spec import Spec
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ def edit_package(name, repo_path, namespace):
     else:
         raise spack.repo.UnknownPackageError(spec.name)
 
-    editor(path)
+    editor(path, debug=spack.config.get('config:debug'))
 
 
 def setup_parser(subparser):
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/hooks/licensing.py b/lib/spack/spack/hooks/licensing.py
index e21445c302c..f61d20dccca 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/hooks/licensing.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/hooks/licensing.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 from llnl.util.filesystem import mkdirp
 from llnl.util.symlink import symlink
 
+import spack.config
 import spack.util.editor as ed
 
 
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ def set_up_license(pkg):
             write_license_file(pkg, license_path)
 
             # use spack.util.executable so the editor does not hang on return here
-            ed.editor(license_path, exec_fn=ed.executable)
+            ed.editor(license_path, exec_fn=ed.executable, debug=spack.config.get('config:debug'))
         else:
             # Use already existing license file
             tty.msg("Found already existing license %s" % license_path)
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/util/editor.py b/lib/spack/spack/util/editor.py
index eff896f87e0..a4a5d5da72e 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/util/editor.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/util/editor.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 
 import llnl.util.tty as tty
 
-import spack.config
 import spack.util.executable
 
 #: editors to try if VISUAL and EDITOR are not set
@@ -61,7 +60,8 @@ def executable(exe: str, args: List[str]) -> int:
     return cmd.returncode
 
 
-def editor(*args: str, exec_fn: Callable[[str, List[str]], int] = os.execv) -> bool:
+def editor(*args: str, exec_fn: Callable[[str, List[str]], int] = os.execv,
+           debug: bool = False) -> bool:
     """Invoke the user's editor.
 
     This will try to execute the following, in order:
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ def try_exec(exe, args, var=None):
             return exec_fn(exe, args) == 0
 
         except (OSError, spack.util.executable.ProcessError) as e:
-            if spack.config.get("config:debug"):
+            if debug:
                 raise
 
             # Show variable we were trying to use, if it's from one