diff --git a/src/pacman/pacman.c b/src/pacman/pacman.c
index 30d28f72..07994a09 100644
--- a/src/pacman/pacman.c
+++ b/src/pacman/pacman.c
@@ -85,32 +85,6 @@ unsigned int maxcols = 80;
 
 extern int neednl;
 
-#if defined(PACMAN_DEBUG) && !defined(CYGWIN) && !defined(BSD)
-void mcheck_abort(enum mcheck_status status)
-{
-	switch(status)
-	{
-	case MCHECK_DISABLED:
-		fputs("mcheck: disabled, no checking can be done\n", stderr);
-		break;
-	case MCHECK_OK:
-		fputs("mcheck: block ok", stderr);
-		break;
-	case MCHECK_HEAD:
-		fputs("mcheck: inconsistancy at block head (underrun)\n", stderr);
-		abort();
-		break;
-	case MCHECK_TAIL:
-		fputs("mcheck: inconsistancy at block tail (overrun)\n", stderr);
-		abort();
-		break;
-	case MCHECK_FREE:
-		fputs("mcheck: block has already been freed\n", stderr);
-		break;
-	};
-}
-#endif
-
 /* Display usage/syntax for the specified operation.
  *     op:     the operation code requested
  *     myname: basename(argv[0])
@@ -437,7 +411,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	list_t *lp;
 
 #if defined(PACMAN_DEBUG) && !defined(CYGWIN) && !defined(BSD)
-	mcheck(mcheck_abort);
+	char *malloc_trace = (char *)getenv("MALLOC_TRACE");
+	if(!malloc_trace) {
+		setenv("MALLOC_TRACE=pacman.mtrace");
+	}
+	mtrace();
 #endif
 	cenv = getenv("COLUMNS");
 	if(cenv != NULL) {