diff --git a/source/global/IDEsettings.bas b/source/global/IDEsettings.bas
index 7781d6bcb..e4b14a6f3 100644
--- a/source/global/IDEsettings.bas
+++ b/source/global/IDEsettings.bas
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ DIM SHARED WatchListToConsole AS _BYTE
 DIM SHARED windowSettingsSection$, colorSettingsSection$, customDictionarySection$
 DIM SHARED mouseSettingsSection$, generalSettingsSection$, displaySettingsSection$
 DIM SHARED colorSchemesSection$, debugSettingsSection$, iniFolderIndex$, DebugInfoIniWarning$, ConfigFile$
-DIM SHARED idebaseTcpPort AS LONG
+DIM SHARED idebaseTcpPort AS LONG, AutoAddDebugCommand AS _BYTE
 
 ConfigFile$ = "internal/config.ini"
 iniFolderIndex$ = STR$(tempfolderindex)
@@ -241,6 +241,18 @@ ELSE
     WriteConfigSetting debugSettingsSection$, "WatchListToConsole", "False"
 END IF
 
+IF ReadConfigSetting(debugSettingsSection$, "AutoAddDebugCommand", value$) THEN
+    IF UCASE$(value$) = "TRUE" OR VAL(value$) = -1 THEN
+        AutoAddDebugCommand = -1
+    ELSE
+        AutoAddDebugCommand = 0
+        WriteConfigSetting debugSettingsSection$, "AutoAddDebugCommand", "False"
+    END IF
+ELSE
+    AutoAddDebugCommand = -1
+    WriteConfigSetting debugSettingsSection$, "AutoAddDebugCommand", "True"
+END IF
+
 'Display settings -------------------------------------------------------------
 IF ReadConfigSetting(displaySettingsSection$, "IDE_SortSUBs", value$) THEN
     IF UCASE$(value$) = "TRUE" OR VAL(value$) = -1 THEN
diff --git a/source/ide/ide_global.bas b/source/ide/ide_global.bas
index cde1730e4..9595a4c1e 100644
--- a/source/ide/ide_global.bas
+++ b/source/ide/ide_global.bas
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ DIM SHARED ViewMenuShowSeparatorID AS INTEGER, ViewMenuShowBGID AS INTEGER
 DIM SHARED ViewMenuCompilerWarnings AS INTEGER
 DIM SHARED RunMenuID AS INTEGER, RunMenuSaveExeWithSource AS INTEGER, brackethighlight AS INTEGER
 DIM SHARED DebugMenuID AS INTEGER, DebugMenuCallStack AS INTEGER, DebugMenuWatchListToConsole AS INTEGER
+DIM SHARED DebugMenuAutoAddCommand AS INTEGER
 DIM SHARED multihighlight AS INTEGER, keywordHighlight AS INTEGER
 DIM SHARED PresetColorSchemes AS INTEGER, TotalColorSchemes AS INTEGER, ColorSchemes$(0)
 DIM SHARED LastValidColorScheme AS INTEGER
diff --git a/source/ide/ide_methods.bas b/source/ide/ide_methods.bas
index b3f3d8435..ba320282b 100644
--- a/source/ide/ide_methods.bas
+++ b/source/ide/ide_methods.bas
@@ -357,6 +357,12 @@ FUNCTION ide2 (ignore)
         menu$(DebugMenuID, DebugMenuCallStack) = "Call #Stack...  F12": i = i + 1
         menuDesc$(m, i - 1) = "Displays the call stack of the current program's last execution"
         menu$(m, i) = "-": i = i + 1
+        DebugMenuAutoAddCommand = i
+        menu$(m, i) = "Auto-add $#Debug metacommand": i = i + 1
+        menuDesc$(m, i - 1) = "Toggles whether the IDE will auto-add the $Debug metacommand as required"
+        IF AutoAddDebugCommand THEN
+            menu$(DebugMenuID, DebugMenuAutoAddCommand) = CHR$(7) + menu$(DebugMenuID, DebugMenuAutoAddCommand)
+        END IF
         DebugMenuWatchListToConsole = i
         menu$(m, i) = "#Output Watch List to Console": i = i + 1
         menuDesc$(m, i - 1) = "Toggles directing the output of the watch list to the console window"
@@ -4988,6 +4994,19 @@ FUNCTION ide2 (ignore)
                 GOTO ideloop
             END IF
 
+            IF RIGHT$(menu$(m, s), 28) = "Auto-add $#Debug metacommand" THEN
+                PCOPY 2, 0
+                AutoAddDebugCommand = NOT AutoAddDebugCommand
+                IF AutoAddDebugCommand THEN
+                    WriteConfigSetting debugSettingsSection$, "AutoAddDebugCommand", "True"
+                    menu$(DebugMenuID, DebugMenuAutoAddCommand) = CHR$(7) + "Auto-add $#Debug metacommand"
+                ELSE
+                    WriteConfigSetting debugSettingsSection$, "AutoAddDebugCommand", "False"
+                    menu$(DebugMenuID, DebugMenuAutoAddCommand) = "Auto-add $#Debug metacommand"
+                END IF
+                PCOPY 3, 0: SCREEN , , 3, 0
+                GOTO ideloop
+            END IF
 
             IF MID$(menu$(m, s), 1, 17) = "#Quick Navigation" OR MID$(menu$(m, s), 2, 17) = "#Quick Navigation" THEN
                 PCOPY 2, 0
@@ -5703,6 +5722,16 @@ FUNCTION ide2 (ignore)
                 PCOPY 3, 0: SCREEN , , 3, 0
                 startPausedMenuHandler:
                 IF vWatchOn = 0 THEN
+                    IF AutoAddDebugCommand = 0 THEN
+                        SCREEN , , 3, 0
+                        clearStatusWindow 2
+                        COLOR 14, 1
+                        x = 2
+                        y = idewy - 2
+                        printWrapStatus x, y, x, "$DEBUG metacommand is required to start paused."
+                        PCOPY 3, 0
+                        GOTO ideloop
+                    END IF
                     result = idemessagebox("Start Paused", "Insert $DEBUG metacommand?", "#Yes;#No")
                     IF result = 1 THEN
                         ideselect = 0
@@ -5726,6 +5755,16 @@ FUNCTION ide2 (ignore)
                 PCOPY 2, 0
                 showWatchList:
                 IF vWatchOn = 0 THEN
+                    IF AutoAddDebugCommand = 0 THEN
+                        SCREEN , , 3, 0
+                        clearStatusWindow 2
+                        COLOR 14, 1
+                        x = 2
+                        y = idewy - 2
+                        printWrapStatus x, y, x, "$DEBUG metacommand is required for Watch List functionality."
+                        PCOPY 3, 0
+                        GOTO ideloop
+                    END IF
                     result = idemessagebox("Watch List", "Insert $DEBUG metacommand?", "#Yes;#No")
                     IF result = 1 THEN
                         ideselect = 0
@@ -5807,6 +5846,16 @@ FUNCTION ide2 (ignore)
                     PCOPY 3, 0: SCREEN , , 3, 0
                     toggleBreakpoint:
                     IF vWatchOn = 0 THEN
+                        IF AutoAddDebugCommand = 0 THEN
+                            SCREEN , , 3, 0
+                            clearStatusWindow 2
+                            COLOR 14, 1
+                            x = 2
+                            y = idewy - 2
+                            printWrapStatus x, y, x, "$DEBUG metacommand is required to enable breakpoints."
+                            PCOPY 3, 0
+                            GOTO ideloop
+                        END IF
                         result = idemessagebox("Toggle Breakpoint", "Insert $DEBUG metacommand?", "#Yes;#No")
                         IF result = 1 THEN
                             ideselect = 0
@@ -5843,6 +5892,16 @@ FUNCTION ide2 (ignore)
                     PCOPY 3, 0: SCREEN , , 3, 0
                     toggleSkipLine:
                     IF vWatchOn = 0 THEN
+                        IF AutoAddDebugCommand = 0 THEN
+                            SCREEN , , 3, 0
+                            clearStatusWindow 2
+                            COLOR 14, 1
+                            x = 2
+                            y = idewy - 2
+                            printWrapStatus x, y, x, "$DEBUG metacommand is required to enable line skipping."
+                            PCOPY 3, 0
+                            GOTO ideloop
+                        END IF
                         result = idemessagebox("Toggle Skip Line", "Insert $DEBUG metacommand?", "#Yes;#No")
                         IF result = 1 THEN
                             ideselect = 0