diff --git a/util/test/rdtest/runner.py b/util/test/rdtest/runner.py
index 717a113a7..a48f6464b 100644
--- a/util/test/rdtest/runner.py
+++ b/util/test/rdtest/runner.py
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ def _run_test(testclass, failedcases: list):
                            .format(test_run.returncode))
 
 
-def run_tests(test_include: str, test_exclude: str, in_process: bool, slow_tests: bool):
+def run_tests(test_include: str, test_exclude: str, in_process: bool, slow_tests: bool, debugger: bool):
     start_time = time.time()
 
     rd.InitGlobalEnv(rd.GlobalEnvironment(), [])
@@ -278,15 +278,21 @@ def run_tests(test_include: str, test_exclude: str, in_process: bool, slow_tests
 
         util.set_current_test(name)
 
-        try:
+        def do():
             if in_process:
                 instance = testclass()
                 instance.invoketest()
             else:
                 _run_test(testclass, failedcases)
-        except Exception as ex:
-            log.failure(ex)
-            failedcases.append(testclass)
+
+        if debugger:
+            do()
+        else:
+            try:
+                do()
+            except Exception as ex:
+                log.failure(ex)
+                failedcases.append(testclass)
 
         log.end_test(name)
 
diff --git a/util/test/run_tests.py b/util/test/run_tests.py
index e0f7d79d3..ef6a6f623 100644
--- a/util/test/run_tests.py
+++ b/util/test/run_tests.py
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ parser.add_argument('--artifacts', default="artifacts",
                     help="The folder to put output artifacts in. Will be completely cleared.", type=str)
 parser.add_argument('--temp', default="tmp",
                     help="The folder to put temporary run data in. Will be completely cleared.", type=str)
+parser.add_argument('--debugger',
+                    help="Enable debugger mode, exceptions are not caught by the framework.", action="store_true")
 # Internal command, when we fork out to run a test in a separate process
 parser.add_argument('--internal_run_test', help=argparse.SUPPRESS, type=str, required=False)
 # Internal command, when we re-run as admin to register vulkan layer
@@ -90,9 +92,13 @@ rdtest.set_data_dir(os.path.realpath(args.data))
 rdtest.set_data_extra_dir(os.path.realpath(args.data_extra))
 rdtest.set_temp_dir(os.path.realpath(args.temp))
 
+# debugger option implies in-process test running
+if args.debugger:
+    args.in_process = True
+
 if args.internal_vulkan_register:
     rdtest.vulkan_register()
 elif args.internal_run_test is not None:
     rdtest.internal_run_test(args.internal_run_test)
 else:
-    rdtest.run_tests(args.test_include, args.test_exclude, args.in_process, args.slow_tests)
+    rdtest.run_tests(args.test_include, args.test_exclude, args.in_process, args.slow_tests, args.debugger)