diff --git a/include/ptycon/ptycon.h b/include/ptycon/ptycon.h
index 6309f27..930dd57 100644
--- a/include/ptycon/ptycon.h
+++ b/include/ptycon/ptycon.h
@@ -34,8 +34,9 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #define PTYC_DRIVER_VERSION		0x0010
 #define PTYC_DRIVER_DRY_RUN		0x0020
-#define PTYC_DRIVER_DBG_OVEN		0x0040
-#define PTYC_DRIVER_DBG_RAW		0x0080
+#define PTYC_DRIVER_DBG_EVENT		0x0040
+#define PTYC_DRIVER_DBG_OVEN		0x0080
+#define PTYC_DRIVER_DBG_RAW		0x0100
 
 struct ptyc_source_version {
 	int		major;
diff --git a/src/driver/ptyc_driver_ctx.c b/src/driver/ptyc_driver_ctx.c
index d403a98..e21e7ab 100644
--- a/src/driver/ptyc_driver_ctx.c
+++ b/src/driver/ptyc_driver_ctx.c
@@ -193,6 +193,20 @@ int ptyc_get_driver_ctx(
 				case TAG_VERSION:
 					cctx.drvflags |= PTYC_DRIVER_VERSION;
 					break;
+
+				case TAG_DEBUG:
+					if (!entry->arg)
+						cctx.drvflags |= PTYC_DRIVER_DBG_EVENT;
+
+					else if (!strcmp("event",entry->arg))
+						cctx.drvflags |= PTYC_DRIVER_DBG_EVENT;
+
+					else if (!strcmp("oven",entry->arg))
+						cctx.drvflags |= PTYC_DRIVER_DBG_OVEN;
+
+					else if (!strcmp("raw",entry->arg))
+						cctx.drvflags |= PTYC_DRIVER_DBG_RAW;
+					break;
 			}
 		} else
 			nunits++;
diff --git a/src/internal/ptycon_driver_impl.h b/src/internal/ptycon_driver_impl.h
index 3576cd4..c2a2475 100644
--- a/src/internal/ptycon_driver_impl.h
+++ b/src/internal/ptycon_driver_impl.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ extern   const ntcon_vtbl * const ptyc_ntcon;
 enum app_tags {
 	TAG_HELP,
 	TAG_VERSION,
+	TAG_DEBUG,
 };
 
 struct ptyc_driver_ctx_impl {
diff --git a/src/skin/ptyc_skin_default.c b/src/skin/ptyc_skin_default.c
index 85ce12e..9d710a6 100644
--- a/src/skin/ptyc_skin_default.c
+++ b/src/skin/ptyc_skin_default.c
@@ -8,5 +8,12 @@ const struct argv_option ptyc_default_options[] = {
 	{"help",		'h',TAG_HELP,ARGV_OPTARG_OPTIONAL,0,"short|long",0,
 				"show usage information [listing %s options only]"},
 
+	{"debug", 		'd',TAG_DEBUG,ARGV_OPTARG_OPTIONAL,0,
+				"event|oven|raw",0,
+				"start an internal thread for debugging purposes. "
+				"event: display trace information for low-level console "
+				"events; oven|raw: start a pseudo client using a pty handle "
+				"in [cooked|raw] mode. default is 'event'."},
+
 	{0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0}
 };