diff --git a/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/debugger/PyDebugRunner.java b/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/debugger/PyDebugRunner.java
index 81cdafd42bcb..3e522bbebe16 100644
--- a/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/debugger/PyDebugRunner.java
+++ b/python/src/com/jetbrains/python/debugger/PyDebugRunner.java
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ public class PyDebugRunner implements ProgramRunner<RunnerSettings> {
   public static final @NonNls String PYDEVD_FILTERS = "PYDEVD_FILTERS";
   public static final @NonNls String PYDEVD_FILTER_LIBRARIES = "PYDEVD_FILTER_LIBRARIES";
   public static final @NonNls String PYDEVD_USE_CYTHON = "PYDEVD_USE_CYTHON";
+  public static final @NonNls String PYCHARM_DEBUG = "PYCHARM_DEBUG";
   public static final @NonNls String USE_LOW_IMPACT_MONITORING = "USE_LOW_IMPACT_MONITORING";
   public static final @NonNls String CYTHON_EXTENSIONS_DIR = new File(PathManager.getSystemPath(), "cythonExtensions").toString();
 
@@ -688,6 +689,10 @@ public class PyDebugRunner implements ProgramRunner<RunnerSettings> {
     if (!RegistryManager.getInstance().is("python.debug.enable.cython.speedups")) {
       environmentController.putFixedValue(PYDEVD_USE_CYTHON, "NO");
     }
+
+    if (RegistryManager.getInstance().is("python.debug.enable.diagnostic.prints")) {
+      environmentController.putFixedValue(PYCHARM_DEBUG, "True");
+    }
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/python/src/intellij.python.community.impl.xml b/python/src/intellij.python.community.impl.xml
index ca43a91a3210..030dc4f0c687 100644
--- a/python/src/intellij.python.community.impl.xml
+++ b/python/src/intellij.python.community.impl.xml
@@ -412,6 +412,9 @@
     <registryKey defaultValue="true" description="Enables the Python debugger Cython speed-ups" restartRequired="false"
                  key="python.debug.enable.cython.speedups"/>
 
+    <registryKey defaultValue="false" description="Enables the Python debugger diagnostic prints" restartRequired="false"
+                 key="python.debug.enable.diagnostic.prints"/>
+
     <!-- typing -->
     <multiHostInjector implementation="com.jetbrains.python.codeInsight.typing.PyTypingAnnotationInjector"/>