diff --git a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/package/start/command.ts b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/package/start/command.ts
index 0d169af5ef..143385e4a6 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/package/start/command.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/package/start/command.ts
@@ -86,8 +86,8 @@ export default async ({ args, info }: CommandContext) => {
     configPaths: config,
     checksEnabled: Boolean(check),
     linkedWorkspace: await resolveLinkedWorkspace(link),
-    inspectEnabled: inspect,
-    inspectBrkEnabled: inspectBrk,
+    inspectEnabled: inspect || (inspect === '' ? true : undefined),
+    inspectBrkEnabled: inspectBrk || (inspectBrk === '' ? true : undefined),
     require: requirePath,
   });
 };
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/package/start/startBackend.ts b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/package/start/startBackend.ts
index b9eb8709f3..a36a93b8ff 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/package/start/startBackend.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/package/start/startBackend.ts
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ import { runBackend } from '../../../lib/runner';
 interface StartBackendOptions {
   targetDir: string;
   checksEnabled: boolean;
-  inspectEnabled?: string;
-  inspectBrkEnabled?: string;
+  inspectEnabled?: boolean | string;
+  inspectBrkEnabled?: boolean | string;
   linkedWorkspace?: string;
   require?: string;
 }
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/package/start/startPackage.ts b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/package/start/startPackage.ts
index 084a4670b4..e0ab13facc 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/package/start/startPackage.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/package/start/startPackage.ts
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ export async function startPackage(options: {
   targetDir: string;
   configPaths: string[];
   checksEnabled: boolean;
-  inspectEnabled?: string;
-  inspectBrkEnabled?: string;
+  inspectEnabled?: boolean | string;
+  inspectBrkEnabled?: boolean | string;
   linkedWorkspace?: string;
   require?: string;
 }): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/repo/start.ts b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/repo/start.ts
index f2f6b7c412..8d36d0732b 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/repo/start.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/commands/repo/start.ts
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ export default async ({ args, info }: CommandContext) => {
   const packageOptions = await resolvePackageOptions(targetPackages, {
     plugin,
     config,
-    inspect,
-    inspectBrk,
+    inspect: inspect || (inspect === '' ? true : undefined),
+    inspectBrk: inspectBrk || (inspectBrk === '' ? true : undefined),
     require: requirePath,
     link,
   });
@@ -211,8 +211,8 @@ export async function findTargetPackages(
 type CommandOptions = {
   plugin: string[];
   config: string[];
-  inspect?: string;
-  inspectBrk?: string;
+  inspect?: boolean | string;
+  inspectBrk?: boolean | string;
   require?: string;
   link?: string;
 };
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.test.ts
index 5fc3f448c9..2b97ae352c 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.test.ts
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ describe('runBackend', () => {
 
       runBackend({
         entry: 'src/index',
-        inspectEnabled: '',
+        inspectEnabled: true,
       });
 
       // Fast-forward past the debounce delay (100ms)
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.ts b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.ts
index adaa9ca58f..22fd50b3f4 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/modules/build/lib/runner/runBackend.ts
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ export type RunBackendOptions = {
   /** relative entry point path without extension, e.g. 'src/index' */
   entry: string;
   /** Whether to forward the --inspect flag to the node process */
-  inspectEnabled?: string;
+  inspectEnabled?: boolean | string;
   /** Whether to forward the --inspect-brk flag to the node process */
-  inspectBrkEnabled?: string;
+  inspectBrkEnabled?: boolean | string;
   /** Additional module to require via the --require flag to the node process */
   require?: string | string[];
   /** An external linked workspace to override module resolution towards */
@@ -96,18 +96,18 @@ export async function runBackend(options: RunBackendOptions) {
     }
 
     const optionArgs = new Array<string>();
-    if (options.inspectEnabled !== undefined) {
-      optionArgs.push(
-        options.inspectEnabled
+    if (options.inspectEnabled) {
+      const inspect =
+        typeof options.inspectEnabled === 'string'
           ? `--inspect=${options.inspectEnabled}`
-          : '--inspect',
-      );
-    } else if (options.inspectBrkEnabled !== undefined) {
-      optionArgs.push(
-        options.inspectBrkEnabled
+          : '--inspect';
+      optionArgs.push(inspect);
+    } else if (options.inspectBrkEnabled) {
+      const inspect =
+        typeof options.inspectBrkEnabled === 'string'
           ? `--inspect-brk=${options.inspectBrkEnabled}`
-          : '--inspect-brk',
-      );
+          : '--inspect-brk';
+      optionArgs.push(inspect);
     }
     if (options.require) {
       const requires = [options.require].flat();