diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b7d6df1..736f82f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ Pulling value files:
 --------|---------------|-----------
 `HELM_GIT_HELM_BIN`|Path to the `helm` binary. If not set, `$HELM_BIN` will be used.|`helm`
 `HELM_GIT_DEBUG`|Setting this value to `1` increases `helm-git` log level. |`0`
-`HELM_GIT_TRACE`|Setting this value to `1` increases `helm-git` log level to the maximum. |`0`
+`HELM_GIT_TRACE`|Setting this value to `1` increases `helm-git` log level to the maximum and keeps temporary dirs at shutdown. |`0`
 `HELM_GIT_REPO_CACHE`|Path to use as a Git repository cache to avoid fetching repos more than once. If empty, caching of Git repositories is disabled.|`""`
 `HELM_GIT_CHART_CACHE`|Path to use as a Helm chart cache to avoid re-packaging/re-indexing charts. If empty, caching of Helm charts is disabled.|`""`
 
diff --git a/helm-git-plugin.sh b/helm-git-plugin.sh
index fa50101..3887b15 100755
--- a/helm-git-plugin.sh
+++ b/helm-git-plugin.sh
@@ -21,20 +21,23 @@ readonly error_invalid_protocol
 
 # Debug & trace output configuration
 debug=0
-if [ "${HELM_GIT_DEBUG:-}" = "1" ]; then
-  debug=1
-fi
 trace=0
+cleanup=1
 git_output="/dev/null"
 git_quiet="--quiet"
+if [ "${HELM_GIT_DEBUG:-}" = "1" ]; then
+  debug=1
+fi
 if [ "${HELM_GIT_TRACE:-}" = "1" ]; then
   trace=1
   debug=1
+  cleanup=0
   git_output="/dev/stderr"
   git_quiet=""
 fi
-readonly trace
 readonly debug
+readonly trace
+readonly cleanup
 readonly git_output
 readonly git_quiet
 
@@ -396,13 +399,14 @@ main() {
     fi
   fi
 
-  # Setup cleanup trap
+  # Setup exit trap
   # shellcheck disable=SC2317
-  cleanup() {
+  exit_trap() {
+    [ "$cleanup" = 1 ] || return 0
     rm -rf "$git_root_path" "${helm_home_target_path:-}"
     [ "$cache_charts_enabled" = 1 ] || rm -rf "${helm_target_path:-}"
   }
-  trap cleanup EXIT
+  trap exit_trap EXIT
 
   git_root_path="$(mktemp -d "$TMPDIR/helm-git.XXXXXX")"
   readonly git_root_path="$git_root_path"