diff --git a/src/avatar.cpp b/src/avatar.cpp
index 6e9de4b0f260d..b41b0663f7a0d 100644
--- a/src/avatar.cpp
+++ b/src/avatar.cpp
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ static void swap_npc( npc &one, npc &two, npc &tmp )
     two = std::move( tmp );
 }
 
-void avatar::control_npc( npc &np )
+void avatar::control_npc( npc &np, const bool debug )
 {
     if( !np.is_player_ally() ) {
         debugmsg( "control_npc() called on non-allied npc %s", np.name );
@@ -204,11 +204,11 @@ void avatar::control_npc( npc &np )
     character_mood_face( true );
 
     profession_id prof_id = prof ? prof->ident() : profession::generic()->ident();
-    get_event_bus().send<event_type::game_avatar_new>( false, getID(), name, male,
-            prof_id, custom_profession );
+    get_event_bus().send<event_type::game_avatar_new>( /*is_new_game=*/false, debug,
+            getID(), name, male, prof_id, custom_profession );
 }
 
-void avatar::control_npc_menu()
+void avatar::control_npc_menu( const bool debug )
 {
     std::vector<shared_ptr_fast<npc>> followers;
     uilist charmenu;
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ void avatar::control_npc_menu()
     if( charmenu.ret < 0 || static_cast<size_t>( charmenu.ret ) >= followers.size() ) {
         return;
     }
-    get_avatar().control_npc( *followers[charmenu.ret] );
+    get_avatar().control_npc( *followers[charmenu.ret], debug );
 }
 
 void avatar::longpull( const std::string &name )
diff --git a/src/avatar.h b/src/avatar.h
index 4cbaf0d263d45..e8b2c6a097b46 100644
--- a/src/avatar.h
+++ b/src/avatar.h
@@ -126,11 +126,11 @@ class avatar : public Character
          * Makes the avatar "take over" the given NPC, while the current avatar character
          * becomes an NPC.
          */
-        void control_npc( npc & );
+        void control_npc( npc &, bool debug = false );
         /**
          * Open a menu to choose the NPC to take over.
          */
-        void control_npc_menu();
+        void control_npc_menu( bool debug = false );
         using Character::query_yn;
         bool query_yn( const std::string &mes ) const override;
 
diff --git a/src/debug_menu.cpp b/src/debug_menu.cpp
index f3a6b71746d4e..5ef3f9b2078b5 100644
--- a/src/debug_menu.cpp
+++ b/src/debug_menu.cpp
@@ -1376,7 +1376,7 @@ static void spawn_nested_mapgen()
 
 static void control_npc_menu()
 {
-    get_avatar().control_npc_menu();
+    get_avatar().control_npc_menu( true );
 }
 
 static void character_edit_stats_menu( Character &you )
diff --git a/src/event.h b/src/event.h
index ef1e4c97febee..edcb413401716 100644
--- a/src/event.h
+++ b/src/event.h
@@ -572,8 +572,9 @@ struct event_spec<event_type::game_avatar_death> {
 
 template<>
 struct event_spec<event_type::game_avatar_new> {
-    static constexpr std::array<std::pair<const char *, cata_variant_type>, 6> fields = {{
+    static constexpr std::array<std::pair<const char *, cata_variant_type>, 7> fields = {{
             { "is_new_game", cata_variant_type::bool_ },
+            { "is_debug", cata_variant_type::bool_ },
             { "avatar_id", cata_variant_type::character_id },
             { "avatar_name", cata_variant_type::string },
             { "avatar_is_male", cata_variant_type::bool_ },
diff --git a/src/game.cpp b/src/game.cpp
index 39d0f3fae790c..27d15c783d165 100644
--- a/src/game.cpp
+++ b/src/game.cpp
@@ -1009,8 +1009,8 @@ bool game::start_game()
     }
 
     get_event_bus().send<event_type::game_start>( getVersionString() );
-    get_event_bus().send<event_type::game_avatar_new>( true, u.getID(), u.name, u.male,
-            u.prof->ident(), u.custom_profession );
+    get_event_bus().send<event_type::game_avatar_new>( /*is_new_game=*/true, /*is_debug=*/false,
+            u.getID(), u.name, u.male, u.prof->ident(), u.custom_profession );
     time_played_at_last_load = std::chrono::seconds( 0 );
     time_of_last_load = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
     tripoint_abs_omt abs_omt = u.global_omt_location();
diff --git a/src/savegame_json.cpp b/src/savegame_json.cpp
index 9ca882ea4eb10..cf612ebeca7a4 100644
--- a/src/savegame_json.cpp
+++ b/src/savegame_json.cpp
@@ -4707,6 +4707,7 @@ void stats_tracker::deserialize( const JsonObject &jo )
             // retroactively insert starting avatar
             cata::event::data_type gan_data( gs_data );
             gan_data["is_new_game"] = cata_variant::make<cata_variant_type::bool_>( true );
+            gan_data["is_debug"] = cata_variant::make<cata_variant_type::bool_>( false );
             gan_data.erase( "game_version" );
             get_event_bus().send( cata::event( event_type::game_avatar_new, calendar::start_of_game,
                                                std::move( gan_data ) ) );
@@ -4716,17 +4717,17 @@ void stats_tracker::deserialize( const JsonObject &jo )
             avatar &u = get_avatar();
             if( u.getID() != gs_data["avatar_id"].get<cata_variant_type::character_id>() ) {
                 profession_id prof_id = u.prof ? u.prof->ident() : profession::generic()->ident();
-                get_event_bus().send( cata::event::make<event_type::game_avatar_new>(
-                                          false, u.getID(), u.name, u.male, prof_id, u.custom_profession ) );
+                get_event_bus().send( cata::event::make<event_type::game_avatar_new>( false, false,
+                                      u.getID(), u.name, u.male, prof_id, u.custom_profession ) );
             }
         } else {
             // last ditch effort for really old saves that don't even have event_type::game_start
-            // treat current avatar as the starting avatar
+            // treat current avatar as the starting avatar; abuse is_new_game=false to flag such cases
             avatar &u = get_avatar();
             profession_id prof_id = u.prof ? u.prof->ident() : profession::generic()->ident();
             std::swap( calendar::turn, calendar::start_of_game );
-            get_event_bus().send( cata::event::make<event_type::game_avatar_new>(
-                                      false, u.getID(), u.name, u.male, prof_id, u.custom_profession ) );
+            get_event_bus().send( cata::event::make<event_type::game_avatar_new>( false, false,
+                                  u.getID(), u.name, u.male, prof_id, u.custom_profession ) );
             std::swap( calendar::turn, calendar::start_of_game );
         }
     }
diff --git a/tests/memorial_test.cpp b/tests/memorial_test.cpp
index 01d6a9f043f45..74cc8526e655a 100644
--- a/tests/memorial_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/memorial_test.cpp
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@ TEST_CASE( "memorials", "[memorial]" )
         "last_words" );
 
     check_memorial<event_type::game_avatar_new>(
-        m, b, u_name + " began their journey into the Cataclysm.", true, ch, u_name, player_character.male,
-        player_character.prof->ident(), player_character.custom_profession );
+        m, b, u_name + " began their journey into the Cataclysm.", true, false, ch, u_name,
+        player_character.male, player_character.prof->ident(), player_character.custom_profession );
 
     check_memorial<event_type::installs_cbm>(
         m, b, "Installed bionic: Alarm System.", ch, cbm );
diff --git a/tests/stats_tracker_test.cpp b/tests/stats_tracker_test.cpp
index 291dd5bbd3ea8..d6df7a6940512 100644
--- a/tests/stats_tracker_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/stats_tracker_test.cpp
@@ -206,8 +206,8 @@ TEST_CASE( "stats_tracker_event_time_bounds", "[stats]" )
 static void send_game_start( event_bus &b, const character_id &u_id )
 {
     b.send<event_type::game_start>( "VERION_STRING" );
-    b.send<event_type::game_avatar_new>( /*is_new_game=*/true, u_id, "Avatar name",
-            /*is_male=*/false, profession_id::NULL_ID(), "CUSTOM_PROFESSION" );
+    b.send<event_type::game_avatar_new>( /*is_new_game=*/true, /*is_debug=*/false, u_id,
+            "Avatar name", /*is_male=*/false, profession_id::NULL_ID(), "CUSTOM_PROFESSION" );
 }
 
 TEST_CASE( "stats_tracker_with_event_statistics", "[stats]" )