diff --git a/target/arm/debug_helper.c b/target/arm/debug_helper.c
index 20a0e4261a..a18a09a0c3 100644
--- a/target/arm/debug_helper.c
+++ b/target/arm/debug_helper.c
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ static bool aa32_generate_debug_exceptions(CPUARMState *env)
  */
 bool arm_generate_debug_exceptions(CPUARMState *env)
 {
-    if (env->aarch64) {
+    if (is_a64(env)) {
         return aa64_generate_debug_exceptions(env);
     } else {
         return aa32_generate_debug_exceptions(env);