diff --git a/.changeset/blue-buttons-sit.md b/.changeset/blue-buttons-sit.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4839d0dd45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/blue-buttons-sit.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/cli': patch
+---
+
+Adding `--inspect-brk` as an option when debugging backend for development
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/backend/dev.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/backend/dev.ts
index a09cea0e8a..b14a1f3e20 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/backend/dev.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/backend/dev.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ export default async (cmd: Command) => {
     entry: 'src/index',
     checksEnabled: cmd.check,
     inspectEnabled: cmd.inspect,
+    inspectBrkEnabled: cmd.inspectBrk,
   });
 
   await waitForExit();
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts
index bcd1509f58..117778b35e 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ export function registerCommands(program: CommanderStatic) {
     .description('Start local development server with HMR for the backend')
     .option('--check', 'Enable type checking and linting')
     .option('--inspect', 'Enable debugger')
+    .option('--inspect-brk', 'Enable debugger with await to attach debugger')
     // We don't actually use the config in the CLI, just pass them on to the NodeJS process
     .option(...configOption)
     .action(lazy(() => import('./backend/dev').then(m => m.default)));
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/bundler/config.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/bundler/config.ts
index 6e3f445f4a..58ff71b7f6 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/bundler/config.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/bundler/config.ts
@@ -247,6 +247,13 @@ export async function createBackendConfig(
 
   const { loaders } = transforms(options);
 
+  const runScriptNodeArgs = new Array<string>();
+  if (options.inspectEnabled) {
+    runScriptNodeArgs.push('--inspect');
+  } else if (options.inspectBrkEnabled) {
+    runScriptNodeArgs.push('--inspect-brk');
+  }
+
   return {
     mode: isDev ? 'development' : 'production',
     profile: false,
@@ -319,7 +326,7 @@ export async function createBackendConfig(
     plugins: [
       new RunScriptWebpackPlugin({
         name: 'main.js',
-        nodeArgs: options.inspectEnabled ? ['--inspect'] : undefined,
+        nodeArgs: runScriptNodeArgs.length > 0 ? runScriptNodeArgs : undefined,
         args: process.argv.slice(3), // drop `node backstage-cli backend:dev`
       }),
       new webpack.HotModuleReplacementPlugin(),
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/bundler/types.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/bundler/types.ts
index 283074a295..93865bcf7e 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/bundler/types.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/bundler/types.ts
@@ -47,11 +47,13 @@ export type BackendBundlingOptions = {
   isDev: boolean;
   parallel?: ParallelOption;
   inspectEnabled: boolean;
+  inspectBrkEnabled: boolean;
 };
 
 export type BackendServeOptions = BundlingPathsOptions & {
   checksEnabled: boolean;
   inspectEnabled: boolean;
+  inspectBrkEnabled: boolean;
 };
 
 export type LernaPackage = {