diff --git a/init/service.cpp b/init/service.cpp
index 78bf42ffa..d495b9102 100644
--- a/init/service.cpp
+++ b/init/service.cpp
@@ -866,6 +866,8 @@ void Service::StopOrReset(int how) {
 
     if ((how != SVC_DISABLED) && (how != SVC_RESET) && (how != SVC_RESTART)) {
         // An illegal flag: default to SVC_DISABLED.
+        LOG(ERROR) << "service '" << name_ << "' requested unknown flag " << how
+                   << ", defaulting to disabling it.";
         how = SVC_DISABLED;
     }