diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index df62f95..832f66e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -74,10 +74,11 @@ const frostfs_cli = native.connect("s01.frostfs.devenv:8080", "", 0, 0)
 Create a local client with `connect` method. Arguments:
 - local path to frostfs storage node configuration file
 - hex encoded private key (empty value produces random key)
+- whether to use the debug logger (warning: very verbose)
 
 ```js
 import local from 'k6/x/frostfs/local';
-const local_client = local.connect("/path/to/config.yaml", "")
+const local_client = local.connect("/path/to/config.yaml", "", false)
 ```
 
 ### Methods
@@ -125,6 +126,7 @@ Create local s3 client with `connect` method. Arguments:
   * `hex_key`: private key to use as a hexadecimal string. A random one is created if none is provided.
   * `node_position`: position of this node in the node array if loading multiple nodes independently (default: 0).
   * `node_count`: number of nodes in the node array if loading multiple nodes independently (default: 1).
+  * `debug_logger`: whether to use the development logger instead of the default. Helpful for debugging (default: false).
 - bucket-container mapping, which is needed to resolve the container id for a given bucket name. Any bucket
   used by the client must have an entry here.
 
diff --git a/examples/local.js b/examples/local.js
index 766f2e2..7e3b49a 100644
--- a/examples/local.js
+++ b/examples/local.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import local from 'k6/x/frostfs/local';
 import { uuidv4 } from '../scenarios/libs/k6-utils-1.4.0.js';
 
 const payload = open('../go.sum', 'b');
-const local_cli = local.connect("/path/to/config.yaml", "")
+const local_cli = local.connect("/path/to/config.yaml", "", false)
 
 export const options = {
     stages: [
diff --git a/internal/local/local.go b/internal/local/local.go
index 88945c6..7f34100 100644
--- a/internal/local/local.go
+++ b/internal/local/local.go
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ type RootModule struct {
 // Local represents an instance of the module for every VU.
 type Local struct {
 	vu            modules.VU
-	ResolveEngine func(context.Context, string) (*engine.StorageEngine, error)
+	ResolveEngine func(context.Context, string, bool) (*engine.StorageEngine, error)
 }
 
 // Ensure the interfaces are implemented correctly.
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func (r *RootModule) NewModuleInstance(vu modules.VU) modules.Instance {
 	return NewLocalModuleInstance(vu, r.GetOrCreateEngine)
 }
 
-func NewLocalModuleInstance(vu modules.VU, resolveEngine func(context.Context, string) (*engine.StorageEngine, error)) *Local {
+func NewLocalModuleInstance(vu modules.VU, resolveEngine func(context.Context, string, bool) (*engine.StorageEngine, error)) *Local {
 	return &Local{
 		vu:            vu,
 		ResolveEngine: resolveEngine,
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func NewLocalModuleInstance(vu modules.VU, resolveEngine func(context.Context, s
 // GetOrCreateEngine returns the current engine instance for the given configuration file,
 // creating a new one if none exists. Note that the identity of configuration files is their
 // file name for the purposes of test runs.
-func (r *RootModule) GetOrCreateEngine(ctx context.Context, configFile string) (*engine.StorageEngine, error) {
+func (r *RootModule) GetOrCreateEngine(ctx context.Context, configFile string, debug bool) (*engine.StorageEngine, error) {
 	r.mu.Lock()
 	defer r.mu.Unlock()
 
@@ -92,7 +92,10 @@ func (r *RootModule) GetOrCreateEngine(ctx context.Context, configFile string) (
 	if r.ng == nil {
 		r.configFile = configFile
 		appCfg := config.New(config.Prm{}, config.WithConfigFile(configFile))
-		ngOpts, shardOpts := storageEngineOptionsFromConfig(appCfg)
+		ngOpts, shardOpts, err := storageEngineOptionsFromConfig(appCfg, debug)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("creating engine options from config: %v", err)
+		}
 		r.ng = engine.New(ngOpts...)
 		for i, opts := range shardOpts {
 			if _, err := r.ng.AddShard(opts...); err != nil {
@@ -120,8 +123,8 @@ func (s *Local) Exports() modules.Exports {
 
 func (s *Local) VU() modules.VU { return s.vu }
 
-func (s *Local) Connect(configFile, hexKey string) (*Client, error) {
-	ng, err := s.ResolveEngine(s.VU().Context(), configFile)
+func (s *Local) Connect(configFile, hexKey string, debug bool) (*Client, error) {
+	ng, err := s.ResolveEngine(s.VU().Context(), configFile, debug)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("connecting to engine for config %q: %v", configFile, err)
 	}
@@ -188,8 +191,15 @@ func (epochState) CurrentEpoch() uint64 { return 0 }
 // preloaded the storage (if any), by using the same configuration file.
 //
 // Note that the configuration file only needs to contain the storage-specific sections.
-func storageEngineOptionsFromConfig(c *config.Config) ([]engine.Option, [][]shard.Option) {
+func storageEngineOptionsFromConfig(c *config.Config, debug bool) ([]engine.Option, [][]shard.Option, error) {
 	log := zap.L()
+	if debug {
+		var err error
+		log, err = zap.NewDevelopment()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("creating development logger: %v", err)
+		}
+	}
 
 	ngOpts := []engine.Option{
 		engine.WithErrorThreshold(engineconfig.ShardErrorThreshold(c)),
@@ -319,7 +329,7 @@ func storageEngineOptionsFromConfig(c *config.Config) ([]engine.Option, [][]shar
 		return nil
 	})
 
-	return ngOpts, shOpts
+	return ngOpts, shOpts, nil
 }
 
 // ParseOrCreateKey parses the provided key as a hex string or creates a fresh one if empty.
diff --git a/internal/s3local/local.go b/internal/s3local/local.go
index f0ba436..34a5885 100644
--- a/internal/s3local/local.go
+++ b/internal/s3local/local.go
@@ -63,11 +63,12 @@ func (s *Local) Connect(configFile string, params map[string]string, bucketMappi
 	hexKey := fs.String("hex_key", "", "Private key to use as a hexadecimal string. A random one is created if none is provided")
 	nodePosition := fs.Int("node_position", 0, "Position of this node in the node array if loading multiple nodes independently")
 	nodeCount := fs.Int("node_count", 1, "Number of nodes in the node array if loading multiple nodes independently")
+	debugLogger := fs.Bool("debug_logger", false, "Whether to use the development logger instead of the default one for debugging purposes")
 
 	{
-		args := make([]string, 0, 2*len(params))
+		args := make([]string, 0, len(params))
 		for k, v := range params {
-			args = append(args, "-"+k, v)
+			args = append(args, fmt.Sprintf("-%s=%s", k, v))
 		}
 		if err := fs.Parse(args); err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("parsing parameters: %v", err)
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ func (s *Local) Connect(configFile string, params map[string]string, bucketMappi
 	objGetDuration, _ = registry.NewMetric("s3local_obj_get_duration", metrics.Trend, metrics.Time)
 
 	// Create S3 layer backed by local storage engine and tree service.
-	ng, err := s.l.ResolveEngine(s.l.VU().Context(), configFile)
+	ng, err := s.l.ResolveEngine(s.l.VU().Context(), configFile, *debugLogger)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("connecting to engine for config %q: %v", configFile, err)
 	}
diff --git a/scenarios/local.js b/scenarios/local.js
index 2c695e3..01496a4 100644
--- a/scenarios/local.js
+++ b/scenarios/local.js
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ const read_size = JSON.parse(open(__ENV.PREGEN_JSON)).obj_size;
 const summary_json = __ENV.SUMMARY_JSON || "/tmp/summary.json";
 
 const config_file = __ENV.CONFIG_FILE;
-const local_client = local.connect(config_file, '');
+const debug_logger = (__ENV.DEBUG_LOGGER || 'false') == 'true';
+const local_client = local.connect(config_file, '', debug_logger);
 const log = logging.new().withField("config", config_file);
 
 const registry_enabled = !!__ENV.REGISTRY_FILE;
diff --git a/scenarios/run_scenarios.md b/scenarios/run_scenarios.md
index 9d6bdb9..c39739b 100644
--- a/scenarios/run_scenarios.md
+++ b/scenarios/run_scenarios.md
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ Scenarios `grpc.js`, `local.js`, `http.js` and `s3.js` support the following opt
   * `SLEEP_READ` - time interval (in seconds) between reading VU iterations.
   * `SELECTION_SIZE` - size of batch to select for deletion (default: 1000).
 
+## Common options for the local scenarios:
+
+  * `DEBUG_LOGGER` - uses a development logger for the local storage engine to aid debugging (default: false).
+
 Examples of how to use these options are provided below for each scenario.
 
 ## gRPC
diff --git a/scenarios/s3local.js b/scenarios/s3local.js
index b227e1e..4038eed 100644
--- a/scenarios/s3local.js
+++ b/scenarios/s3local.js
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ const read_size = JSON.parse(open(__ENV.PREGEN_JSON)).obj_size;
 const summary_json = __ENV.SUMMARY_JSON || "/tmp/summary.json";
 
 const config_file = __ENV.CONFIG_FILE;
-const s3_client = s3local.connect(config_file, {}, bucket_mapping());
+const s3_client = s3local.connect(config_file, {
+    'debug_logger': __ENV.DEBUG_LOGGER || 'false',
+}, bucket_mapping());
 const log = logging.new().withField("config", config_file);
 
 const registry_enabled = !!__ENV.REGISTRY_FILE;