diff --git a/linux/bundle.go b/linux/bundle.go
index bdac0b1ce..b4b672342 100644
--- a/linux/bundle.go
+++ b/linux/bundle.go
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ type bundle struct {
 }
 
 // NewShim connects to the shim managing the bundle and tasks
-func (b *bundle) NewShim(ctx context.Context, binary, grpcAddress string, remote bool) (*client.Client, error) {
-	opt := client.WithStart(binary, grpcAddress)
+func (b *bundle) NewShim(ctx context.Context, binary, grpcAddress string, remote, debug bool) (*client.Client, error) {
+	opt := client.WithStart(binary, grpcAddress, debug)
 	if !remote {
 		opt = client.WithLocal
 	}
diff --git a/linux/runtime.go b/linux/runtime.go
index 9bd3d67a8..3785f5c54 100644
--- a/linux/runtime.go
+++ b/linux/runtime.go
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ type Config struct {
 	Runtime string `toml:"runtime,omitempty"`
 	// NoShim calls runc directly from within the pkg
 	NoShim bool `toml:"no_shim,omitempty"`
+	// Debug enable debug on the shim
+	ShimDebug bool `toml:"shim_debug,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func New(ic *plugin.InitContext) (interface{}, error) {
@@ -83,15 +85,16 @@ func New(ic *plugin.InitContext) (interface{}, error) {
 	}
 	cfg := ic.Config.(*Config)
 	r := &Runtime{
-		root:    ic.Root,
-		remote:  !cfg.NoShim,
-		shim:    cfg.Shim,
-		runtime: cfg.Runtime,
-		monitor: monitor.(runtime.TaskMonitor),
-		tasks:   newTaskList(),
-		emitter: events.GetPoster(ic.Context),
-		db:      m.(*bolt.DB),
-		address: ic.Address,
+		root:      ic.Root,
+		remote:    !cfg.NoShim,
+		shim:      cfg.Shim,
+		shimDebug: cfg.ShimDebug,
+		runtime:   cfg.Runtime,
+		monitor:   monitor.(runtime.TaskMonitor),
+		tasks:     newTaskList(),
+		emitter:   events.GetPoster(ic.Context),
+		db:        m.(*bolt.DB),
+		address:   ic.Address,
 	}
 	tasks, err := r.restoreTasks(ic.Context)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -106,11 +109,12 @@ func New(ic *plugin.InitContext) (interface{}, error) {
 }
 
 type Runtime struct {
-	root    string
-	shim    string
-	runtime string
-	remote  bool
-	address string
+	root      string
+	shim      string
+	shimDebug bool
+	runtime   string
+	remote    bool
+	address   string
 
 	monitor runtime.TaskMonitor
 	tasks   *taskList
@@ -136,7 +140,7 @@ func (r *Runtime) Create(ctx context.Context, id string, opts runtime.CreateOpts
 			bundle.Delete()
 		}
 	}()
-	s, err := bundle.NewShim(ctx, r.shim, r.address, r.remote)
+	s, err := bundle.NewShim(ctx, r.shim, r.address, r.remote, r.shimDebug)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/linux/shim/client.go b/linux/shim/client.go
index 134bbfda2..b2f8e7d65 100644
--- a/linux/shim/client.go
+++ b/linux/shim/client.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import (
 type ClientOpt func(context.Context, Config) (shim.ShimClient, io.Closer, error)
 
 // WithStart executes a new shim process
-func WithStart(binary, address string) ClientOpt {
+func WithStart(binary, address string, debug bool) ClientOpt {
 	return func(ctx context.Context, config Config) (shim.ShimClient, io.Closer, error) {
 		socket, err := newSocket(config)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -40,13 +40,14 @@ func WithStart(binary, address string) ClientOpt {
 		}
 		defer f.Close()
 
-		cmd := newCommand(binary, address, config, f)
+		cmd := newCommand(binary, address, debug, config, f)
 		if err := reaper.Default.Start(cmd); err != nil {
 			return nil, nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to start shim")
 		}
 		log.G(ctx).WithFields(logrus.Fields{
 			"pid":     cmd.Process.Pid,
 			"address": config.Address,
+			"debug":   debug,
 		}).Infof("shim %s started", binary)
 		if err = sys.SetOOMScore(cmd.Process.Pid, sys.OOMScoreMaxKillable); err != nil {
 			return nil, nil, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to set OOM Score on shim")
@@ -55,12 +56,12 @@ func WithStart(binary, address string) ClientOpt {
 	}
 }
 
-func newCommand(binary, address string, config Config, socket *os.File) *exec.Cmd {
+func newCommand(binary, address string, debug bool, config Config, socket *os.File) *exec.Cmd {
 	args := []string{
 		"--namespace", config.Namespace,
 		"--address", address,
 	}
-	if config.Debug {
+	if debug {
 		args = append(args, "--debug")
 	}
 	cmd := exec.Command(binary, args...)
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ func newCommand(binary, address string, config Config, socket *os.File) *exec.Cm
 	// will be mounted by the shim
 	cmd.SysProcAttr = &atter
 	cmd.ExtraFiles = append(cmd.ExtraFiles, socket)
-	if config.Debug {
+	if debug {
 		cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
 		cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
 	}
@@ -140,7 +141,6 @@ type Config struct {
 	Address   string
 	Path      string
 	Namespace string
-	Debug     bool
 }
 
 // New returns a new shim client