diff --git a/torch_xla/stablehlo.py b/torch_xla/stablehlo.py
index 85f9287b084..53467bd285f 100644
--- a/torch_xla/stablehlo.py
+++ b/torch_xla/stablehlo.py
@@ -350,6 +350,10 @@ def _exported_program_to_stablehlo_bundle(exported_model,
   if options.export_node_metadata:
     gm_serializer = GraphModuleSerializer(exported_model.graph_signature,
                                           exported_model.module_call_graph)
+    if "XLA_HLO_DEBUG" in os.environ:
+      xla_hlo_debug_env = os.environ["XLA_HLO_DEBUG"]
+    else:
+      xla_hlo_debug_env = "0"
     os.environ["XLA_HLO_DEBUG"] = "1"
   else:
     gm_serializer = None
@@ -478,6 +482,8 @@ def _exported_program_to_stablehlo_bundle(exported_model,
 
   # Recover the global flag to not inline all scalars.
   torch_xla._XLAC._set_xla_all_numbers_special_scalars(False)
+  # Recover the global XLA_HLO_DEBUG flag
+  os.environ["XLA_HLO_DEBUG"] = xla_hlo_debug_env
 
   return bundle