diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/util/ResourceBundle.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/util/ResourceBundle.java
index 989cc09f388..4206dda6a3a 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/util/ResourceBundle.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/util/ResourceBundle.java
@@ -3654,8 +3654,7 @@ public abstract class ResourceBundle {
 
     }
 
-    private static final boolean TRACE_ON = Boolean.getBoolean(
-        System.getProperty("resource.bundle.debug", "false"));
+    private static final boolean TRACE_ON = Boolean.getBoolean("resource.bundle.debug");
 
     private static void trace(String format, Object... params) {
         if (TRACE_ON)