diff --git a/packages/debug/src/browser/debug-frontend-application-contribution.ts b/packages/debug/src/browser/debug-frontend-application-contribution.ts
index d2aace286052e..27d745ed2966f 100644
--- a/packages/debug/src/browser/debug-frontend-application-contribution.ts
+++ b/packages/debug/src/browser/debug-frontend-application-contribution.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ import { DebugFunctionBreakpoint } from './model/debug-function-breakpoint';
 import { DebugBreakpoint } from './model/debug-breakpoint';
 import { nls } from '@theia/core/lib/common/nls';
 import { DebugInstructionBreakpoint } from './model/debug-instruction-breakpoint';
+import { DebugConfiguration } from '../common/debug-configuration';
 
 export namespace DebugMenus {
     export const DEBUG = [...MAIN_MENU_BAR, '6_debug'];
@@ -449,14 +450,16 @@ export class DebugFrontendApplicationContribution extends AbstractViewContributi
                     activate: false,
                 });
             }
-            if (!noDebug && (openDebug === 'openOnSessionStart' || (openDebug === 'openOnFirstSessionStart' && this.firstSessionStart))) {
+            const shouldOpenDebug = openDebug === 'openOnSessionStart' || (openDebug === 'openOnFirstSessionStart' && this.firstSessionStart);
+            // Do not open debug view when suppressed via configuration
+            if (!noDebug && !this.getOption(session, 'suppressDebugView') && shouldOpenDebug) {
                 this.openSession(session);
             }
             this.firstSessionStart = false;
         });
         this.manager.onDidStopDebugSession(session => {
             const { openDebug } = session.configuration;
-            if (openDebug === 'openOnDebugBreak') {
+            if (!this.getOption(session, 'suppressDebugView') && openDebug === 'openOnDebugBreak') {
                 this.openSession(session);
             }
         });
@@ -1494,10 +1497,30 @@ export class DebugFrontendApplicationContribution extends AbstractViewContributi
         }
 
         const session = this.manager.currentSession;
-        if (session && session.configuration.noDebug) {
-            return false;
+        if (session) {
+            if (session.configuration.noDebug) {
+                return false;
+            }
+            if (this.getOption(session, 'suppressDebugStatusbar')) {
+                return false;
+            }
         }
 
         return true;
     }
+
+    protected getOption(session: DebugSession | undefined, option: keyof {
+        [Property in keyof DebugConfiguration]: boolean;
+    }): boolean | undefined {
+        // If session is undefined there will be no option
+        if (!session) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        // If undefined take the value of the parent
+        if (option in session.configuration && session.configuration[option] !== undefined) {
+            return session.configuration[option];
+        }
+
+        return this.getOption(session.parentSession, option);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/packages/debug/src/browser/debug-session-manager.ts b/packages/debug/src/browser/debug-session-manager.ts
index d5decd2125dc5..19fcb5c9b5546 100644
--- a/packages/debug/src/browser/debug-session-manager.ts
+++ b/packages/debug/src/browser/debug-session-manager.ts
@@ -210,7 +210,8 @@ export class DebugSessionManager {
     protected async startConfiguration(options: DebugConfigurationSessionOptions): Promise<DebugSession | undefined> {
         return this.progressService.withProgress('Start...', 'debug', async () => {
             try {
-                if (!await this.saveAll()) {
+                // If a parent session is available saving should be handled by the parent
+                if (!options.configuration.parentSessionId && !options.configuration.suppressSaveBeforeStart && !await this.saveAll()) {
                     return undefined;
                 }
                 await this.fireWillStartDebugSession();
diff --git a/packages/debug/src/common/debug-configuration.ts b/packages/debug/src/common/debug-configuration.ts
index 0f11aa7fda064..b987311df3d86 100644
--- a/packages/debug/src/common/debug-configuration.ts
+++ b/packages/debug/src/common/debug-configuration.ts
@@ -72,6 +72,18 @@ export interface DebugConfiguration {
 
     /** Task to run after debug session ends */
     postDebugTask?: string | TaskIdentifier;
+
+    /**
+     * When true, a save will not be triggered for open editors when starting a debug session,
+     * regardless of the value of the `debug.saveBeforeStart` setting.
+     */
+    suppressSaveBeforeStart?: boolean;
+
+    /** When true, the window statusbar color will not be changed for this session. */
+    suppressDebugStatusbar?: boolean;
+
+    /** When true, the debug viewlet will not be automatically revealed for this session. */
+    suppressDebugView?: boolean;
 }
 export namespace DebugConfiguration {
     export function is(arg: unknown): arg is DebugConfiguration {
@@ -85,6 +97,9 @@ export interface DebugSessionOptions {
     consoleMode?: DebugConsoleMode;
     noDebug?: boolean;
     compact?: boolean;
+    suppressSaveBeforeStart?: boolean;
+    suppressDebugStatusbar?: boolean;
+    suppressDebugView?: boolean;
 }
 
 export enum DebugConsoleMode {
diff --git a/packages/plugin-ext/src/plugin/debug/debug-ext.ts b/packages/plugin-ext/src/plugin/debug/debug-ext.ts
index 4bf42e7129a50..498c309d3ffd0 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-ext/src/plugin/debug/debug-ext.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-ext/src/plugin/debug/debug-ext.ts
@@ -181,6 +181,9 @@ export class DebugExtImpl implements DebugExt {
             parentSessionId: options.parentSession?.id,
             compact: options.compact,
             consoleMode: options.consoleMode,
+            suppressSaveBeforeStart: options.suppressSaveBeforeStart,
+            suppressDebugStatusbar: options.suppressDebugStatusbar,
+            suppressDebugView: options.suppressDebugView,
             lifecycleManagedByParent: options.lifecycleManagedByParent,
             noDebug: options.noDebug
         });
diff --git a/packages/plugin/src/theia.d.ts b/packages/plugin/src/theia.d.ts
index 1e13febdf8054..914bcaec6209b 100644
--- a/packages/plugin/src/theia.d.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin/src/theia.d.ts
@@ -11539,6 +11539,27 @@ export module '@theia/plugin' {
          * If compact is true, debug sessions with a single child are hidden in the CALL STACK view to make the tree more compact.
          */
         compact?: boolean;
+
+        /**
+         * When true, a save will not be triggered for open editors when starting a debug session,
+         * regardless of the value of the `debug.saveBeforeStart` setting.
+         */
+        suppressSaveBeforeStart?: boolean;
+
+        /**
+         * When true, the debug toolbar will not be shown for this session.
+         */
+        suppressDebugToolbar?: boolean;
+
+        /**
+         * When true, the window statusbar color will not be changed for this session.
+         */
+        suppressDebugStatusbar?: boolean;
+
+        /**
+         * When true, the debug viewlet will not be automatically revealed for this session.
+         */
+        suppressDebugView?: boolean;
     }
 
     /**