diff --git a/app/meteor/meteor.js b/app/meteor/meteor.js
index db5df1c718..9190bf3e93 100644
--- a/app/meteor/meteor.js
+++ b/app/meteor/meteor.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ var files = require(path.join(__dirname, '..', 'lib', 'files.js'));
 var _ = require(path.join(__dirname, '..', 'lib', 'third', 'underscore.js'));
 var deploy = require(path.join(__dirname, 'deploy'));
 var fs = require("fs");
+var runner = require(path.join(__dirname, 'run.js'));
 
 // This code is duplicated in app/server/server.js.
 var MIN_NODE_VERSION = 'v0.8.11';
@@ -96,6 +97,10 @@ Commands.push({
       .describe('port', 'Port to listen on. NOTE: Also uses port N+1 and N+2.')
       .boolean('production')
       .describe('production', 'Run in production mode. Minify and bundle CSS and JS files.')
+      .boolean('debug')
+      .describe('debug', 'Run in debug mode for node-inspector')
+      .boolean('debug-brk')
+      .describe('debug-brk', 'Run in debug mode and break on first line')
       .usage(
 "Usage: meteor run [options]\n" +
 "\n" +
@@ -119,8 +124,11 @@ Commands.push({
     }
 
     var app_dir = path.resolve(require_project("run", true)); // app or package
-    var bundle_opts = { no_minify: !new_argv.production, symlink_dev_bundle: true };
-    require(path.join(__dirname, 'run.js')).run(app_dir, bundle_opts, new_argv.port);
+    var bundle_opts = { no_minify: !new_argv.production, symlink_dev_bundle: true};
+    var debugStatus = runner.DebugStatus.OFF;
+    if (new_argv['debug']) debugStatus = runner.DebugStatus.DEBUG;
+    if (new_argv['debug-brk']) debugStatus = runner.DebugStatus.BREAK;
+    runner.run(app_dir, bundle_opts, new_argv.port, debugStatus);
   }
 });
 
diff --git a/app/meteor/run.js b/app/meteor/run.js
index e542b90c53..3f41659fa6 100644
--- a/app/meteor/run.js
+++ b/app/meteor/run.js
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ var log_to_clients = function (msg) {
 ////////// Launch server process //////////
 
 var start_server = function (bundle_path, outer_port, inner_port, mongo_url,
-                             on_exit_callback, on_listen_callback) {
+                             on_exit_callback, on_listen_callback, dbg) {
   // environment
   var env = {};
   for (var k in process.env)
@@ -177,9 +177,16 @@ var start_server = function (bundle_path, outer_port, inner_port, mongo_url,
   env.PORT = inner_port;
   env.MONGO_URL = mongo_url;
   env.ROOT_URL = env.ROOT_URL || ('http://localhost:' + outer_port);
-
+  var nodeOptions = [];
+  if (dbg === exports.DebugStatus.DEBUG)
+    nodeOptions.push('--debug');
+  if (dbg === exports.DebugStatus.BREAK) {
+    console.log('Debug will break on the first line');
+    nodeOptions.push('--debug-brk');
+  }
+  //spawn inner server, with debug enabled if requested
   var proc = spawn(process.execPath,
-                   [path.join(bundle_path, 'main.js'), '--keepalive'],
+                   nodeOptions.concat([path.join(bundle_path, 'main.js'), '--keepalive']),
                    {env: env});
 
   // XXX deal with test server logging differently?!
@@ -446,10 +453,18 @@ var start_update_checks = function () {
 
 // XXX leave a pidfile and check if we are already running
 
+exports.DebugStatus = {
+  OFF : "OFF",
+  DEBUG : "DEBUG",
+  BREAK : "BREAK"
+};
+
 // This function never returns and will call process.exit() if it
 // can't continue. If you change this, remember to call
 // watcher.destroy() as appropriate.
-exports.run = function (app_dir, bundle_opts, port) {
+exports.run = function (app_dir, bundle_opts, port, dbg) {
+  debug = bundle_opts.debug;
+  debug_brk = bundle_opts.debug_brk;
   var outer_port = port || 3000;
   var inner_port = outer_port + 1;
   var mongo_port = outer_port + 2;
@@ -560,7 +575,8 @@ exports.run = function (app_dir, bundle_opts, port) {
         Status.listening = true;
         _.each(request_queue, function (f) { f(); });
         request_queue = [];
-      });
+      },
+      dbg);
 
 
     // launch test bundle and server if needed.