diff --git a/packages/sysutils/busybox/scripts/init b/packages/sysutils/busybox/scripts/init
index f7b28bbef7..56e8403d44 100755
--- a/packages/sysutils/busybox/scripts/init
+++ b/packages/sysutils/busybox/scripts/init
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@
 
   LIVE="no"
 
+  BREAK_TRIPPED="no"
+
   # Get a serial number if present (eg. RPi) otherwise use MAC address from eth0
   MACHINE_UID="$(cat /proc/cpuinfo | awk '/^Serial/{s=$3; gsub ("^0*","",s); print s}')"
   [ -z "$MACHINE_UID" ] && MACHINE_UID="$(cat /sys/class/net/eth0/address 2>/dev/null | tr -d :)"
@@ -182,7 +184,7 @@
   }
 
   debug_shell() {
-    echo "### Starting debugging shell... type  exit  to quit ###"
+    echo "### Starting debugging shell for boot step: $BOOT_STEP... type  exit  to quit ###"
 
     showcursor
 
@@ -200,12 +202,17 @@
   }
 
   break_after() {
-    # Start debug shell after boot step $1
-    case $BREAK in
-      all|*$1*)
-        debug_shell
-        ;;
-    esac
+    # Start debug shell after boot step $1, and all subsequent steps
+    if [ $BREAK_TRIPPED == yes ]; then
+      debug_shell
+    else
+      case $BREAK in
+        all|*$1*)
+          BREAK_TRIPPED=yes
+          debug_shell
+          ;;
+      esac
+    fi
   }
 
   # Mount handlers