diff --git a/.github/workflows/cirrus-ci_retrospective.yml b/.github/workflows/cirrus-ci_retrospective.yml
index 32e6499..089ad86 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cirrus-ci_retrospective.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cirrus-ci_retrospective.yml
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ jobs:
             - name: Load cirrus-ci_retrospective JSON and set action output variables
               id: retro
               env:
-                  DEBUG: 1
+                  A_DEBUG: 1
               run: |
                   source ./main/$HELPER_LIB
                   load_ccir $GITHUB_WORKSPACE
diff --git a/bin/install_automation.sh b/bin/install_automation.sh
index fc3a51a..4456fc5 100755
--- a/bin/install_automation.sh
+++ b/bin/install_automation.sh
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ INSTALLATION_SOURCE="${INSTALLATION_SOURCE:-}"
 AUTOMATION_VERSION="$1"
 shift || true  # ignore if no more args
 # Set non-zero to enable
-DEBUG=${DEBUG:-0}
+A_DEBUG=${A_DEBUG:-0}
 # Save some output eyestrain (if script can be found)
 OOE=$(realpath $(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../common/bin/ooe.sh 2>/dev/null || echo "")
 # Sentinel value representing whatever version is present in the local repository
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ _DEFAULT_MAGIC_JUJU=d41d844b68a14ee7b9e6a6bb88385b4d
 
 msg() { echo -e "${1:-No Message given}"; }
 
-dbg() { if ((DEBUG)); then msg "\n# $1"; fi }
+dbg() { if ((A_DEBUG)); then msg "\n# $1"; fi }
 
 # On 5/14/2021 the default branch was renamed to 'main'.
 # Since prior versions of the installer reference the old
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ exec_installer() {
         # _MAGIC_JUJU set to signal actual installation work should commence
         set -x
         exec env \
-            DEBUG="$DEBUG" \
+            A_DEBUG="$A_DEBUG" \
             INSTALLATION_SOURCE="$INSTALLATION_SOURCE" \
             INSTALL_PREFIX="$INSTALL_PREFIX" \
             AUTOMATION_REPO_URL="$AUTOMATION_REPO_URL" \
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ elif [[ "$_MAGIC_JUJU" == "$_DEFAULT_MAGIC_JUJU" ]]; then
             env AUTOMATION_LIB_PATH=$AUTOMATION_LIB_PATH \
                 AUTOMATION_VERSION=$AUTOMATION_VERSION \
                 INSTALLATION_SOURCE=$INSTALLATION_SOURCE \
-                DEBUG=$DEBUG \
+                A_DEBUG=$A_DEBUG \
                 MAGIC_JUJU=$_MAGIC_JUJU \
                 /bin/bash $CHAIN_TO
             msg "##### Installation complete for '$arg' subcomponent"
diff --git a/build-push/test/testbuilds.sh b/build-push/test/testbuilds.sh
index 481a8d9..90ed81e 100644
--- a/build-push/test/testbuilds.sh
+++ b/build-push/test/testbuilds.sh
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ test_cmd "Confirm error output and exit(42) from --prepcmd" \
 
 test_cmd "Confirm building native-arch test image w/ --nopush" \
     0 "STEP 3/3: ENTRYPOINT /bin/false.+COMMIT" \
-    bash -c "DEBUG=1 $SUBJ_FILEPATH localhost/foo/bar $TEST_CONTEXT --nopush 2>&1"
+    bash -c "A_DEBUG=1 $SUBJ_FILEPATH localhost/foo/bar $TEST_CONTEXT --nopush 2>&1"
 
 native_arch=$($RUNTIME info --format='{{.host.arch}}')
 test_cmd "Confirm native_arch was set to non-empty string" \
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ test_cmd "Confirm built image manifest contains the native arch '$native_arch'"
 
 test_cmd "Confirm rebuilding with same command uses cache" \
     0 "STEP 3/3.+Using cache" \
-    bash -c "DEBUG=1 $SUBJ_FILEPATH localhost/foo/bar $TEST_CONTEXT --nopush 2>&1"
+    bash -c "A_DEBUG=1 $SUBJ_FILEPATH localhost/foo/bar $TEST_CONTEXT --nopush 2>&1"
 
 test_cmd "Confirm manifest-list can be removed by name" \
     0 "untagged: localhost/foo/bar:latest" \
@@ -54,12 +54,12 @@ test_cmd "Confirm manifest-list can be removed by name" \
 
 test_cmd "Verify expected partial failure when passing bogus architectures" \
      125 "error creating build.+architecture staple" \
-    bash -c "DEBUG=1 $SUBJ_FILEPATH --arches=correct,horse,battery,staple localhost/foo/bar --nopush $TEST_CONTEXT 2>&1"
+    bash -c "A_DEBUG=1 $SUBJ_FILEPATH --arches=correct,horse,battery,staple localhost/foo/bar --nopush $TEST_CONTEXT 2>&1"
 
 MODCMD='$RUNTIME tag $FQIN:latest $FQIN:9.8.7-testing'
 test_cmd "Verify --modcmd is able to tag the manifest" \
     0 "Executing mod-command" \
-    bash -c "DEBUG=1 $SUBJ_FILEPATH localhost/foo/bar $TEST_CONTEXT --nopush --modcmd='$MODCMD' 2>&1"
+    bash -c "A_DEBUG=1 $SUBJ_FILEPATH localhost/foo/bar $TEST_CONTEXT --nopush --modcmd='$MODCMD' 2>&1"
 
 test_cmd "Verify the tagged manifest is also present" \
     0 "[a-zA-Z0-9]+" \
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ $RUNTIME images && \
 # - causing it to exit(0) as it should
 test_cmd "Verify --modcmd can execute a long string with substitutions" \
     125 "AllGone" \
-    bash -c "DEBUG=1 $SUBJ_FILEPATH --modcmd='$MODCMD' localhost/foo/bar --nopush $TEST_CONTEXT 2>&1"
+    bash -c "A_DEBUG=1 $SUBJ_FILEPATH --modcmd='$MODCMD' localhost/foo/bar --nopush $TEST_CONTEXT 2>&1"
 
 test_cmd "Verify previous --modcmd removed the 'latest' tagged image" \
     125 "image not known" \
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ MODCMD="set -ex;
 \$RUNTIME manifest rm \$FQIN:latest;"
 test_cmd "Verify e2e workflow w/ additional build-args" \
     0 "Pushing $TEST_FQIN:$FAKE_VERSION" \
-    bash -c "env DEBUG=1 $SUBJ_FILEPATH \
+    bash -c "env A_DEBUG=1 $SUBJ_FILEPATH \
         --prepcmd='touch $TEST_SOURCE_DIRPATH/test_context/Containerfile' \
         --modcmd='$MODCMD' \
         --arches=amd64,s390x,arm64,ppc64le \
diff --git a/common/lib/console_output.sh b/common/lib/console_output.sh
index c493db6..415a86f 100644
--- a/common/lib/console_output.sh
+++ b/common/lib/console_output.sh
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ die() {
 }
 
 dbg() {
-    if ((DEBUG)); then
+    if ((A_DEBUG)); then
         local shortest_source_path=$(_rel_path "${BASH_SOURCE[1]}")
         (
         echo
diff --git a/common/lib/defaults.sh b/common/lib/defaults.sh
index c8a1734..7c2cfd7 100644
--- a/common/lib/defaults.sh
+++ b/common/lib/defaults.sh
@@ -7,9 +7,10 @@ CI="${CI:-false}"  # true: _unlikely_ human-presence at the controls.
 [[ $CI == "false" ]] || CI='true'  # Err on the side of automation
 
 # Default to NOT running in debug-mode unless set non-zero
-DEBUG=${DEBUG:-0}
-# Conditionals like ((DEBUG)) easier than checking "true"/"False"
-( test "$DEBUG" -eq 0 || test "$DEBUG" -ne 0 ) &>/dev/null || DEBUG=1  # assume true when non-integer
+A_DEBUG=${A_DEBUG:-0}
+# Conditionals like ((A_DEBUG)) easier than checking "true"/"False"
+( test "$A_DEBUG" -eq 0 || test "$A_DEBUG" -ne 0 ) &>/dev/null || \
+    A_DEBUG=1  # assume true when non-integer
 
 # String prefixes to use when printing messages to the console
 DEBUG_MSG_PREFIX="${DEBUG_MSG_PREFIX:-DEBUG:}"
diff --git a/common/test/console_output_test_helper.sh b/common/test/console_output_test_helper.sh
index 30f4987..00159e4 100644
--- a/common/test/console_output_test_helper.sh
+++ b/common/test/console_output_test_helper.sh
@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@ source "$AUTOMATION_LIB_PATH/common_lib.sh"
 set +e
 
 test_function() {
-    DEBUG=1 dbg "Test dbg message"
+    A_DEBUG=1 dbg "Test dbg message"
     warn "Test warning message"
     msg "Test msg message"
     die "Test die message" 0
 }
 
-DEBUG=1 dbg "Test dbg message"
+A_DEBUG=1 dbg "Test dbg message"
 warn "Test warning message"
 msg "Test msg message"
 die "Test die message" 0
diff --git a/common/test/testbin-install_automation.sh b/common/test/testbin-install_automation.sh
index 909f17b..ad86174 100755
--- a/common/test/testbin-install_automation.sh
+++ b/common/test/testbin-install_automation.sh
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ load_example_environment() {
         source "$INSTALL_PREFIX/automation/environment" || return 99
         echo "AUTOMATION_LIB_PATH ==> ${AUTOMATION_LIB_PATH:-UNDEFINED}"
         echo "PATH ==> ${PATH:-EMPTY}"
-        [[ -z "$_args" ]] || DEBUG=1 $_args
+        [[ -z "$_args" ]] || A_DEBUG=1 $_args
     )
 }
 
diff --git a/common/test/testlib-console_output.sh b/common/test/testlib-console_output.sh
index f10a744..07d0d8a 100755
--- a/common/test/testlib-console_output.sh
+++ b/common/test/testlib-console_output.sh
@@ -58,20 +58,20 @@ test_cmd "The indent function indents it's own output" \
     0 "$EXPECTED_SUM" \
     bash -c "echo '$TEST_STRING' | indent | indent | sha256sum"
 
-DEBUG=0
+A_DEBUG=0
 test_cmd \
-    "The dbg function has no output when \$DEBUG is zero and no message is given" \
+    "The dbg function has no output when \$A_DEBUG is zero and no message is given" \
     0 "" \
     dbg
 
 test_cmd \
-    "The dbg function has no output when \$DEBUG is zero and a test message is given" \
+    "The dbg function has no output when \$A_DEBUG is zero and a test message is given" \
     0 "" \
     dbg "$test_message_text"
 
-DEBUG=1
+A_DEBUG=1
 basic_tests dbg 0 DEBUG
-DEBUG=0
+A_DEBUG=0
 
 test_cmd \
     "All primary output functions include the expected context information" \
diff --git a/common/test/testlib-defaults.sh b/common/test/testlib-defaults.sh
index efbaa84..f1c3535 100755
--- a/common/test/testlib-defaults.sh
+++ b/common/test/testlib-defaults.sh
@@ -20,24 +20,24 @@ test_ci() {
     CI="$prev_CI"
 }
 
-# DEBUG must default to 0 or non-zero
+# A_DEBUG must default to 0 or non-zero
 # usage: <expected non-zero> [initial_value]
 test_debug() {
     local exp_non_zero=$1
     local init_value="$2"
     [[ -z "$init_value" ]] || \
-        DEBUG=$init_value
-    local desc_pfx="The \$DEBUG env. var initialized '$init_value', after loading library is"
+        A_DEBUG=$init_value
+    local desc_pfx="The \$A_DEBUG env. var initialized '$init_value', after loading library is"
 
     source "$TEST_DIR"/"$SUBJ_FILENAME"
     if ((exp_non_zero)); then
         test_cmd "$desc_pfx non-zero" \
             0 "" \
-            test "$DEBUG" -ne 0
+            test "$A_DEBUG" -ne 0
     else
         test_cmd "$desc_pfx zero" \
             0 "" \
-            test "$DEBUG" -eq 0
+            test "$A_DEBUG" -eq 0
     fi
 }
 
diff --git a/github/test/testlib-github.sh b/github/test/testlib-github.sh
index c3e5271..5e30909 100755
--- a/github/test/testlib-github.sh
+++ b/github/test/testlib-github.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ test_cmd 'Default shell variables are initialized empty/false' \
     echo -n "${prn}${tid}${sha}${tst}${was_pr}${do_intg}"
 
 # Remaining tests all require debugging output to be enabled
-DEBUG=1
+A_DEBUG=1
 
 test_cmd 'The debugging function does not throw any errors and uses special debug output' \
     0 '::debug::' \
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ for regex in '"id": "10"' $MONITOR_TASK $ACTION_TASK '"branch": "pull/12"' \
 done
 
 # Remaining tests all require debugging output disabled
-DEBUG=0
+A_DEBUG=0
 
 write_ccir 1 2 3 PAUSED COMPLETED
 load_ccir "$TESTTEMPDIR"
diff --git a/github/test/testlib-github_common.sh b/github/test/testlib-github_common.sh
index da29a22..2de8519 100755
--- a/github/test/testlib-github_common.sh
+++ b/github/test/testlib-github_common.sh
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ test_cmd "The library $TEST_DIR/$SUBJ_FILENAME loads" \
     0 '' \
     source $TEST_DIR/$SUBJ_FILENAME
 
-DEBUG=1
+A_DEBUG=1
 ACTIONS_STEP_DEBUG=true
-# Should update $DEBUG value
+# Should update $A_DEBUG value
 source $TEST_DIR/$SUBJ_FILENAME || exit 1  # can't continue w/o loaded library
 
 test_cmd "The debug message prefix is compatible with github actions commands" \
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ test_cmd "The debug message prefix is compatible with github actions commands" \
     dbg 'This is a test debug message'
 
 unset ACTIONS_STEP_DEBUG
-unset DEBUG
-# Should update $DEBUG value
+unset A_DEBUG
+# Should update $A_DEBUG value
 source $TEST_DIR/$SUBJ_FILENAME
 
 test_cmd "No debug message shows when ACTIONS_STEP_DEBUG is undefined" \