diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index d3fcc0e..1541c63 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -830,6 +830,11 @@ bool get_cfg(options_t *opt, int argc, char *const *argv, bool shadow_enable,
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	if (opt->debug_mode && !opt->experimental_backends) {
+		log_error("Debug mode only works with the experimental backends.");
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	// Range checking and option assignments
 	opt->fade_delta = max2(opt->fade_delta, 1);
 	opt->shadow_radius = max2(opt->shadow_radius, 0);
diff --git a/src/picom.c b/src/picom.c
index c3f41f4..f48538a 100644
--- a/src/picom.c
+++ b/src/picom.c
@@ -1773,11 +1773,6 @@ static session_t *session_init(int argc, char **argv, Display *dpy,
 		         "binary will not be installed in the future.");
 	}
 
-	if (ps->o.debug_mode && !ps->o.experimental_backends) {
-		log_fatal("Debug mode only works with the experimental backends.");
-		return NULL;
-	}
-
 	ps->atoms = init_atoms(ps->c);
 	ps->atoms_wintypes[WINTYPE_UNKNOWN] = 0;
 #define SET_WM_TYPE_ATOM(x)                                                              \