diff --git a/utils/gen-debug-controls.py b/utils/gen-debug-controls.py
index 025850731c0b..272597f4874f 100755
--- a/utils/gen-debug-controls.py
+++ b/utils/gen-debug-controls.py
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ def main(argv):
 
         p = m.file.relative_to(root_dir)
         desc = {'type': m.type,
+                'direction': 'out',
                 'description': f'Debug control {m.name} found in {p}:{m.line}'}
         if m.size is not None:
             desc['size'] = m.size