diff --git a/tools/aapt2/cmd/Link.cpp b/tools/aapt2/cmd/Link.cpp
index 818ad2089d8aa..a3b7664818873 100644
--- a/tools/aapt2/cmd/Link.cpp
+++ b/tools/aapt2/cmd/Link.cpp
@@ -2159,7 +2159,11 @@ int Link(const std::vector<StringPiece>& args, IDiagnostics* diagnostics) {
                             "Syntax: path/to/output.apk:<config>[,<config>[...]].\n"
                             "On Windows, use a semicolon ';' separator instead.",
                             &split_args)
-          .OptionalSwitch("-v", "Enables verbose logging.", &verbose);
+          .OptionalSwitch("-v", "Enables verbose logging.", &verbose)
+          .OptionalSwitch("--debug-mode",
+                          "Inserts android:debuggable=\"true\" in to the application node of the\n"
+                          "manifest, making the application debuggable even on production devices.",
+                          &options.manifest_fixer_options.debug_mode);
 
   if (!flags.Parse("aapt2 link", args, &std::cerr)) {
     return 1;
diff --git a/tools/aapt2/link/ManifestFixer.cpp b/tools/aapt2/link/ManifestFixer.cpp
index 713db5b7ed862..165702ca42cd9 100644
--- a/tools/aapt2/link/ManifestFixer.cpp
+++ b/tools/aapt2/link/ManifestFixer.cpp
@@ -354,6 +354,14 @@ bool ManifestFixer::BuildRules(xml::XmlActionExecutor* executor,
   uses_static_library_action.Action(RequiredAndroidAttribute("version"));
   uses_static_library_action.Action(RequiredAndroidAttribute("certDigest"));
 
+  if (options_.debug_mode) {
+    application_action.Action([&](xml::Element* el) -> bool {
+      xml::Attribute *attr = el->FindOrCreateAttribute(xml::kSchemaAndroid, "debuggable");
+      attr->value = "true";
+      return true;
+    });
+  }
+
   application_action["meta-data"] = meta_data_action;
 
   application_action["activity"] = component_action;
diff --git a/tools/aapt2/link/ManifestFixer.h b/tools/aapt2/link/ManifestFixer.h
index 0caa52eaf6509..7d6fad2f09187 100644
--- a/tools/aapt2/link/ManifestFixer.h
+++ b/tools/aapt2/link/ManifestFixer.h
@@ -58,10 +58,13 @@ struct ManifestFixerOptions {
   // 'android:compileSdkVersionCodename' in the <manifest> tag.
   Maybe<std::string> compile_sdk_version_codename;
 
-  // Wether validation errors should be treated only as warnings. If this is 'true', then an
+  // Whether validation errors should be treated only as warnings. If this is 'true', then an
   // incorrect node will not result in an error, but only as a warning, and the parsing will
   // continue.
   bool warn_validation = false;
+
+  // Whether to inject the android:debuggable="true" flag into the manifest
+  bool debug_mode = false;
 };
 
 // Verifies that the manifest is correctly formed and inserts defaults where specified with
diff --git a/tools/aapt2/link/ManifestFixer_test.cpp b/tools/aapt2/link/ManifestFixer_test.cpp
index ed98d715df58a..8db937439c553 100644
--- a/tools/aapt2/link/ManifestFixer_test.cpp
+++ b/tools/aapt2/link/ManifestFixer_test.cpp
@@ -416,6 +416,68 @@ TEST_F(ManifestFixerTest, UsesFeatureMustHaveNameOrGlEsVersion) {
   EXPECT_THAT(Verify(input), IsNull());
 }
 
+TEST_F(ManifestFixerTest, ApplicationInjectDebuggable) {
+  ManifestFixerOptions options;
+  options.debug_mode = true;
+
+  std::string no_d = R"(
+      <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+          package="android">
+        <application>
+        </application>
+      </manifest>)";
+
+  std::string false_d = R"(
+      <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+          package="android">
+        <application android:debuggable="false">
+        </application>
+      </manifest>)";
+
+  std::string true_d = R"(
+      <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+          package="android">
+        <application android:debuggable="true">
+        </application>
+      </manifest>)";
+
+  // Inject the debuggable attribute when the attribute is not present and the
+  // flag is present
+  std::unique_ptr<xml::XmlResource> manifest = VerifyWithOptions(no_d, options);
+  EXPECT_THAT(manifest->root.get()->FindChildWithAttribute(
+      {}, "application", xml::kSchemaAndroid, "debuggable", "true"), NotNull());
+
+  // Set the debuggable flag to true if the attribute is false and the flag is
+  // present
+  manifest = VerifyWithOptions(false_d, options);
+  EXPECT_THAT(manifest->root.get()->FindChildWithAttribute(
+      {}, "application", xml::kSchemaAndroid, "debuggable", "true"), NotNull());
+
+  // Keep debuggable flag true if the attribute is true and the flag is present
+  manifest = VerifyWithOptions(true_d, options);
+  EXPECT_THAT(manifest->root.get()->FindChildWithAttribute(
+      {}, "application", xml::kSchemaAndroid, "debuggable", "true"), NotNull());
+
+  // Do not inject the debuggable attribute when the attribute is not present
+  // and the flag is not present
+  manifest = Verify(no_d);
+  EXPECT_THAT(manifest->root.get()->FindChildWithAttribute(
+      {}, "application", xml::kSchemaAndroid, "debuggable", "true"), IsNull());
+
+  // Do not set the debuggable flag to true if the attribute is false and the
+  // flag is not present
+  manifest = Verify(false_d);
+  EXPECT_THAT(manifest->root.get()->FindChildWithAttribute(
+      {}, "application", xml::kSchemaAndroid, "debuggable", "true"), IsNull());
+
+  // Keep debuggable flag true if the attribute is true and the flag is not
+  // present
+  manifest = Verify(true_d);
+  EXPECT_THAT(manifest->root.get()->FindChildWithAttribute(
+      {}, "application", xml::kSchemaAndroid, "debuggable", "true"), NotNull());
+}
+
+
 TEST_F(ManifestFixerTest, IgnoreNamespacedElements) {
   std::string input = R"EOF(
       <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"