diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/debugStatus.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/debugStatus.ts
index 4ed7c675b9068..6e2ef96a9d9eb 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/debugStatus.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/debugStatus.ts
@@ -10,22 +10,25 @@ import { IDisposable, dispose } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
 import { IQuickOpenService } from 'vs/platform/quickOpen/common/quickOpen';
 import { IThemeService } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/themeService';
 import { IStatusbarItem } from 'vs/workbench/browser/parts/statusbar/statusbar';
-import { IDebugService, State } from 'vs/workbench/parts/debug/common/debug';
+import { IDebugService, State, IDebugConfiguration } from 'vs/workbench/parts/debug/common/debug';
 import { Themable, STATUS_BAR_FOREGROUND } from 'vs/workbench/common/theme';
+import { IConfigurationService } from 'vs/platform/configuration/common/configuration';
 
 const $ = dom.$;
 
 export class DebugStatus extends Themable implements IStatusbarItem {
 	private toDispose: IDisposable[];
 	private container: HTMLElement;
+	private statusBarItem: HTMLElement;
 	private label: HTMLElement;
 	private icon: HTMLElement;
-	private hidden = true;
+	private showInStatusBar: string;
 
 	constructor(
 		@IQuickOpenService private quickOpenService: IQuickOpenService,
 		@IDebugService private debugService: IDebugService,
-		@IThemeService themeService: IThemeService
+		@IThemeService themeService: IThemeService,
+		@IConfigurationService configurationService: IConfigurationService
 	) {
 		super(themeService);
 		this.toDispose = [];
@@ -33,9 +36,24 @@ export class DebugStatus extends Themable implements IStatusbarItem {
 			this.setLabel();
 		}));
 		this.toDispose.push(this.debugService.onDidChangeState(state => {
-			if (state !== State.Inactive && this.hidden) {
-				this.hidden = false;
-				this.render(this.container);
+			if (state !== State.Inactive && this.showInStatusBar === 'onFirstSessionStart') {
+				this.doRender();
+			}
+		}));
+		this.showInStatusBar = configurationService.getValue<IDebugConfiguration>('debug').showInStatusBar;
+		this.toDispose.push(configurationService.onDidChangeConfiguration(e => {
+			if (e.affectsConfiguration('debug.showInStatusBar')) {
+				this.showInStatusBar = configurationService.getValue<IDebugConfiguration>('debug').showInStatusBar;
+				if (this.showInStatusBar === 'never' && this.statusBarItem) {
+					this.statusBarItem.hidden = true;
+				} else {
+					if (this.statusBarItem) {
+						this.statusBarItem.hidden = false;
+					}
+					if (this.showInStatusBar === 'always') {
+						this.doRender();
+					}
+				}
 			}
 		}));
 	}
@@ -49,24 +67,30 @@ export class DebugStatus extends Themable implements IStatusbarItem {
 
 	public render(container: HTMLElement): IDisposable {
 		this.container = container;
-		if (!this.hidden) {
-			const statusBarItem = dom.append(container, $('.debug-statusbar-item'));
-			this.toDispose.push(dom.addDisposableListener(statusBarItem, 'click', () => {
+		if (this.showInStatusBar === 'always') {
+			this.doRender();
+		}
+		// noop, we render when we decide is best
+		return this;
+	}
+
+	private doRender(): void {
+		if (!this.statusBarItem && this.container) {
+			this.statusBarItem = dom.append(this.container, $('.debug-statusbar-item'));
+			this.toDispose.push(dom.addDisposableListener(this.statusBarItem, 'click', () => {
 				this.quickOpenService.show('debug ').done(undefined, errors.onUnexpectedError);
 			}));
-			statusBarItem.title = nls.localize('selectAndStartDebug', "Select and start debug configuration");
-			const a = dom.append(statusBarItem, $('a'));
+			this.statusBarItem.title = nls.localize('selectAndStartDebug', "Select and start debug configuration");
+			const a = dom.append(this.statusBarItem, $('a'));
 			this.icon = dom.append(a, $('.icon'));
 			this.label = dom.append(a, $('span.label'));
 			this.setLabel();
 			this.updateStyles();
 		}
-
-		return this;
 	}
 
 	private setLabel(): void {
-		if (this.label && !this.hidden) {
+		if (this.label && this.statusBarItem) {
 			const manager = this.debugService.getConfigurationManager();
 			const name = manager.selectedName || '';
 			this.label.textContent = manager.getLaunches().length > 1 ? `${name} (${manager.selectedLaunch.workspace.name})` : name;
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/media/debug.contribution.css b/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/media/debug.contribution.css
index 05d23a6ffd0df..c0f23e9662f96 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/media/debug.contribution.css
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/media/debug.contribution.css
@@ -109,9 +109,13 @@
 	padding: 0 5px 0 5px;
 }
 
+.monaco-workbench .part.statusbar .debug-statusbar-item.hidden {
+	display: none;
+}
+
 .monaco-workbench .part.statusbar .debug-statusbar-item .icon {
 	-webkit-mask: url('continue.svg') no-repeat 50% 50%;
-	-webkit-mask-size: 18px;
+	-webkit-mask-size: 16px;
 	display: inline-block;
 	padding-right: 2px;
 	width: 16px;
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/common/debug.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/common/debug.ts
index b6c74071cb4ff..9e08b4ff90bc8 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/common/debug.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/common/debug.ts
@@ -323,6 +323,7 @@ export interface IDebugConfiguration {
 	openExplorerOnEnd: boolean;
 	inlineValues: boolean;
 	hideActionBar: boolean;
+	showInStatusBar: string;
 	internalConsoleOptions: string;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/electron-browser/debug.contribution.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/electron-browser/debug.contribution.ts
index 2203a758fa5d3..fbce85bb5508c 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/electron-browser/debug.contribution.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/electron-browser/debug.contribution.ts
@@ -188,6 +188,11 @@ configurationRegistry.registerConfiguration({
 			description: nls.localize({ comment: ['This is the description for a setting'], key: 'hideActionBar' }, "Controls if the floating debug action bar should be hidden"),
 			default: false
 		},
+		'debug.showInStatusBar': {
+			enum: ['never', 'always', 'onFirstSessionStart'],
+			description: nls.localize({ comment: ['This is the description for a setting'], key: 'showInStatusBar' }, "Controls when the debug status bar should be visible"),
+			default: 'onFirstSessionStart'
+		},
 		'debug.internalConsoleOptions': INTERNAL_CONSOLE_OPTIONS_SCHEMA,
 		'debug.openDebug': {
 			enum: ['neverOpen', 'openOnSessionStart', 'openOnFirstSessionStart'],