diff --git a/src/agents/_debug.py b/src/agents/_debug.py
index 963c296b80..6806b05173 100644
--- a/src/agents/_debug.py
+++ b/src/agents/_debug.py
@@ -5,8 +5,13 @@ def _debug_flag_enabled(flag: str, default: bool = False) -> bool:
     flag_value = os.getenv(flag)
     if flag_value is None:
         return default
-    else:
-        return flag_value == "1" or flag_value.lower() == "true"
+
+    normalized = flag_value.strip().lower()
+    if normalized in {"1", "true"}:
+        return True
+    if normalized in {"0", "false"}:
+        return False
+    return default
 
 
 def _load_dont_log_model_data() -> bool:
diff --git a/tests/test_debug_flag_parsing.py b/tests/test_debug_flag_parsing.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8da4a3a5c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_debug_flag_parsing.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import pytest
+
+from agents._debug import _load_dont_log_model_data, _load_dont_log_tool_data
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("env_name", "loader"),
+    [
+        ("OPENAI_AGENTS_DONT_LOG_MODEL_DATA", _load_dont_log_model_data),
+        ("OPENAI_AGENTS_DONT_LOG_TOOL_DATA", _load_dont_log_tool_data),
+    ],
+)
+def test_dont_log_flags_strip_whitespace(env_name, loader, monkeypatch) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setenv(env_name, " true ")
+    assert loader() is True
+
+    monkeypatch.setenv(env_name, " false ")
+    assert loader() is False
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("env_name", "loader"),
+    [
+        ("OPENAI_AGENTS_DONT_LOG_MODEL_DATA", _load_dont_log_model_data),
+        ("OPENAI_AGENTS_DONT_LOG_TOOL_DATA", _load_dont_log_tool_data),
+    ],
+)
+def test_dont_log_flags_use_safe_default_for_invalid_values(env_name, loader, monkeypatch) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setenv(env_name, "tru")
+    assert loader() is True