diff --git a/lib/datasource.js b/lib/datasource.js
index 99dd6565..42c612f6 100644
--- a/lib/datasource.js
+++ b/lib/datasource.js
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ var util = require('util');
 var assert = require('assert');
 var async = require('async');
 
+if (process.env.DEBUG === 'loopback') {
+  // For back-compatibility
+  process.env.DEBUG = 'loopback:*';
+}
+var debug = require('debug')('loopback:datasource');
+
 /**
  * Export public API
  */
@@ -239,11 +245,10 @@ DataSource.prototype.setup = function (name, settings) {
   // just save everything we get
   this.settings = settings || {};
 
-  // Check the debug env settings
-  var debugEnv = process.env.DEBUG || process.env.NODE_DEBUG || '';
-  var debugModules = debugEnv.split(/[\s,]+/);
-  if (debugModules.indexOf('loopback') !== -1) {
-    this.settings.debug = true;
+  this.settings.debug = this.settings.debug || debug.enabled;
+
+  if(this.settings.debug) {
+    debug('Settings: %j', this.settings);
   }
 
   // Disconnected by default
@@ -673,7 +678,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.defineProperty = function (model, prop, params) {
   this.modelBuilder.defineProperty(model, prop, params);
 
   var resolvedProp = this.getModelDefinition(model).properties[prop];
-  if (this.connector.defineProperty) {
+  if (this.connector && this.connector.defineProperty) {
     this.connector.defineProperty(model, prop, resolvedProp);
   }
 };
@@ -740,7 +745,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverModelDefinitions = function (options, cb) {
   if (this.connector.discoverModelDefinitions) {
     this.connector.discoverModelDefinitions(options, cb);
   } else if (cb) {
-    cb();
+    process.nextTick(cb);
   }
 };
 
@@ -785,7 +790,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverModelProperties = function (modelName, options, cb)
   if (this.connector.discoverModelProperties) {
     this.connector.discoverModelProperties(modelName, options, cb);
   } else if (cb) {
-    cb();
+    process.nextTick(cb);
   }
 };
 
@@ -829,7 +834,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverPrimaryKeys = function (modelName, options, cb) {
   if (this.connector.discoverPrimaryKeys) {
     this.connector.discoverPrimaryKeys(modelName, options, cb);
   } else if (cb) {
-    cb();
+    process.nextTick(cb);
   }
 };
 
@@ -876,7 +881,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverForeignKeys = function (modelName, options, cb) {
   if (this.connector.discoverForeignKeys) {
     this.connector.discoverForeignKeys(modelName, options, cb);
   } else if (cb) {
-    cb();
+    process.nextTick(cb);
   }
 };
 
@@ -893,7 +898,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverForeignKeysSync = function (modelName, options) {
     return this.connector.discoverForeignKeysSync(modelName, options);
   }
   return null;
-}
+};
 
 /**
  * Retrieves a description of the foreign key columns that reference the given table's primary key columns (the foreign keys exported by a table).
@@ -924,7 +929,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverExportedForeignKeys = function (modelName, options,
   if (this.connector.discoverExportedForeignKeys) {
     this.connector.discoverExportedForeignKeys(modelName, options, cb);
   } else if (cb) {
-    cb();
+    process.nextTick(cb);
   }
 };
 
@@ -989,7 +994,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverSchema = function (modelName, options, cb) {
       return;
     }
   });
-}
+};
 
 /**
  * Discover schema from a given modelName/view
@@ -1046,7 +1051,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverSchemas = function (modelName, options, cb) {
     });
 
     if (self.settings.debug) {
-      console.log('Primary keys: ', pks);
+      debug('Primary keys: ', pks);
     }
 
     var schema = {
@@ -1093,7 +1098,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverSchemas = function (modelName, options, cb) {
     var schemaKey = columns[0].owner + '.' + modelName;
     if (!options.visited.hasOwnProperty(schemaKey)) {
       if (self.settings.debug) {
-        console.log('Adding schema for ' + schemaKey);
+        debug('Adding schema for ' + schemaKey);
       }
       options.visited[schemaKey] = schema;
     }
@@ -1118,7 +1123,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverSchemas = function (modelName, options, cb) {
       });
 
       if (self.settings.debug) {
-        console.log('Foreign keys: ', fks);
+        debug('Foreign keys: ', fks);
       }
 
       schema.options.relations = {};
@@ -1143,7 +1148,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverSchemas = function (modelName, options, cb) {
       var moreTasks = [];
       for (var t in otherTables) {
         if (self.settings.debug) {
-          console.log('Discovering related schema for ' + schemaKey);
+          debug('Discovering related schema for ' + schemaKey);
         }
         var newOptions = {};
         for (var key in options) {
@@ -1191,7 +1196,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverSchemasSync = function (modelName, options) {
   });
 
   if (self.settings.debug) {
-    console.log('Primary keys: ', pks);
+    debug('Primary keys: ', pks);
   }
 
   var schema = {
@@ -1238,7 +1243,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverSchemasSync = function (modelName, options) {
   var schemaKey = columns[0].owner + '.' + modelName;
   if (!options.visited.hasOwnProperty(schemaKey)) {
     if (self.settings.debug) {
-      console.log('Adding schema for ' + schemaKey);
+      debug('Adding schema for ' + schemaKey);
     }
     options.visited[schemaKey] = schema;
   }
@@ -1264,7 +1269,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverSchemasSync = function (modelName, options) {
     });
 
     if (self.settings.debug) {
-      console.log('Foreign keys: ', fks);
+      debug('Foreign keys: ', fks);
     }
 
     schema.options.relations = {};
@@ -1289,7 +1294,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.discoverSchemasSync = function (modelName, options) {
     var moreTasks = [];
     for (var t in otherTables) {
       if (self.settings.debug) {
-        console.log('Discovering related schema for ' + schemaKey);
+        debug('Discovering related schema for ' + schemaKey);
       }
       var newOptions = {};
       for (var key in options) {
@@ -1395,6 +1400,7 @@ DataSource.prototype.isActual = function (models, cb) {
  * @private used by connectors
  */
 DataSource.prototype.log = function (sql, t) {
+  debug(sql, t);
   this.emit('log', sql, t);
 };
 
@@ -1402,13 +1408,16 @@ DataSource.prototype.log = function (sql, t) {
  * Freeze dataSource. Behavior depends on connector
  */
 DataSource.prototype.freeze = function freeze() {
+  if(!this.connector) {
+    throw new Error('The connector has not been initialized.');
+  }
   if (this.connector.freezeDataSource) {
     this.connector.freezeDataSource();
   }
   if (this.connector.freezeSchema) {
     this.connector.freezeSchema();
   }
-}
+};
 
 /**
  * Return table name for specified `modelName`
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 06f35ecf..02a167cd 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@
     "async": "~0.2.10",
     "inflection": "~1.3.5",
     "traverse": "~0.6.6",
-    "qs": "~0.6.6"
+    "qs": "~0.6.6",
+    "debug": "~0.7.4"
   },
   "license": {
     "name": "Dual MIT/StrongLoop",