diff --git a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBar.java b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBar.java
index c6a03995bc11..f17b127d4fe1 100644
--- a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBar.java
+++ b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBar.java
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ public class TouchBar implements NSTLibrary.ItemCreator {
     myNativePeer = NST.createTouchBar(touchbarName, this, myCustomEsc != null ? myCustomEsc.myUid : null);
   }
 
+  public boolean isManualClose() { return myCustomEsc != null; }
+
   @Override
   public String toString() { return myName + "_" + myNativePeer; }
 
diff --git a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBarDebugger.java b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBarDebugger.java
index fbec46c29941..a018cb05eefa 100644
--- a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBarDebugger.java
+++ b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBarDebugger.java
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import java.awt.*;
 
 public class TouchBarDebugger extends TouchBarActionBase {
   TouchBarDebugger(@NotNull Project project, Component component) {
-    super("debugger", project, component);
+    super("debugger", project, component, true);
 
     addButton(AllIcons.Actions.Restart, null, new PlatformAction(IdeActions.ACTION_RERUN));
     addAnActionButton("Pause");
diff --git a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBarDebuggerAlt.java b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBarDebuggerAlt.java
index 35ec5f312387..f262f4afce91 100644
--- a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBarDebuggerAlt.java
+++ b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBarDebuggerAlt.java
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import java.awt.*;
 
 public class TouchBarDebuggerAlt extends TouchBarActionBase {
   public TouchBarDebuggerAlt(@NotNull Project project, Component component) {
-    super("debugger_alt", project, component);
+    super("debugger_alt", project, component, true);
 
     addFlexibleSpacing();
     addAnActionButton("ViewBreakpoints", false);
diff --git a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBarsManager.java b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBarsManager.java
index eb80755a3473..fbd04ab53d51 100644
--- a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBarsManager.java
+++ b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ui/mac/touchbar/TouchBarsManager.java
@@ -55,13 +55,11 @@ public class TouchBarsManager {
 
       @Override
       public void focusGained(Editor editor) {
-        if (!hasTemporary())
-          showTouchBar(myEditorBar);
+        _elevateTouchBar(myEditorBar);
       }
       @Override
       public void focusLost(Editor editor) {
-        if (!hasTemporary())
-          closeTouchBar(myEditorBar);
+        closeTouchBar(myEditorBar);
       }
     });
   }
@@ -116,12 +114,14 @@ public class TouchBarsManager {
           public void stateChanged() {
             final String activeId = twm.getActiveToolWindowId();
             if (activeId != null && activeId.equals("Debug")) {
+              // TODO:
+              // 1. check whether some debug session is running
+              // 2. stateChanged can be skipped sometimes when user clicks debug tool-window, need check by focus events or fix stateChanged-subscription
               if (myDebuggerBar == null) {
                 myDebuggerBar = ProjectBarsStorage.instance(project).createBarContainer(ProjectBarsStorage.DEBUGGER, twm.getToolWindow(activeId).getComponent());
               }
               showTouchBar(myDebuggerBar);
-            } else
-              closeTouchBar(myDebuggerBar);
+            }
           }
         });
       }
@@ -147,10 +147,6 @@ public class TouchBarsManager {
     }
   }
 
-  synchronized public static boolean hasTemporary() {
-    return ourTouchBarStack.stream().anyMatch((bc)->bc.isTemporary());
-  }
-
   synchronized public static void showTempTouchBar(TouchBar tb) {
     if (tb == null)
       return;
@@ -188,6 +184,24 @@ public class TouchBarsManager {
     _setBarContainer(bar);
   }
 
+  synchronized private static void _elevateTouchBar(@NotNull BarContainer bar) {
+    final BarContainer top = ourTouchBarStack.peek();
+    if (top == bar)
+      return;
+
+    final boolean preserveTop = top != null && (top.isTemporary() || top.get().isManualClose());
+    if (preserveTop) {
+      ourTouchBarStack.remove(bar);
+      ourTouchBarStack.remove(top);
+      ourTouchBarStack.push(bar);
+      ourTouchBarStack.push(top);
+    } else {
+      ourTouchBarStack.remove(bar);
+      ourTouchBarStack.push(bar);
+      _setBarContainer(bar);
+    }
+  }
+
   synchronized public static void closeTouchBar(BarContainer tb) {
     if (tb == null || ourTouchBarStack.isEmpty())
       return;