diff --git a/features/cli_debug.feature b/features/cli_debug.feature
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..74bdb46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/cli_debug.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+Feature: CLI debug option
+
+  Background:
+    Given a recipe with:
+      """
+      task(:trigger_error) { fail 'some error' }
+      """
+
+  Scenario: reports recipe errors
+    When I execute the recipe with option -d
+    Then the output must match /\ARuntimeError:.*\n\ncause:\nRuntimeError:/
diff --git a/features/cli_usage.feature b/features/cli_usage.feature
index a7329e0..9791061 100644
--- a/features/cli_usage.feature
+++ b/features/cli_usage.feature
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ Feature: CLI usage
 
       options:
           -v, --verbose                    enable verbose mode
+          -d, --debug                      enable debug mode
           -n, --dry-run                    enable dry run mode
           -t, --target HOST                target host
       """
diff --git a/features/steps/recipe_steps.rb b/features/steps/recipe_steps.rb
index 66f55ba..1255925 100644
--- a/features/steps/recipe_steps.rb
+++ b/features/steps/recipe_steps.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ When /^I successfully execute the recipe on remote target$/ do
   assert_exit_status 0
 end
 
+When /^I execute the recipe with option (-.+)$/ do |option|
+  run_simple "producer #{option} recipe.rb", false
+end
+
 When /^I successfully execute the recipe with option (-.+)$/ do |option|
   run_simple "producer #{option} recipe.rb", false
   assert_exit_status 0
diff --git a/lib/producer/core/cli.rb b/lib/producer/core/cli.rb
index d2c2daa..503663e 100644
--- a/lib/producer/core/cli.rb
+++ b/lib/producer/core/cli.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@ module Producer
             stderr.puts e.message
             exit EX_USAGE
           rescue Exception => e
-            ef = ErrorFormatter.new(force_cause: [RecipeEvaluationError])
+            ef = ErrorFormatter.new(
+              debug:        cli.env.debug?,
+              force_cause:  [RecipeEvaluationError]
+            )
             stderr.puts ef.format e
             exit EX_SOFTWARE
           end
@@ -66,6 +69,10 @@ module Producer
             env.verbose = true
           end
 
+          opts.on '-d', '--debug', 'enable debug mode' do |e|
+            env.debug = true
+          end
+
           opts.on '-n', '--dry-run', 'enable dry run mode' do |e|
             env.dry_run = true
           end
diff --git a/lib/producer/core/env.rb b/lib/producer/core/env.rb
index 6530760..e5602ca 100644
--- a/lib/producer/core/env.rb
+++ b/lib/producer/core/env.rb
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ module Producer
   module Core
     class Env
       attr_reader   :input, :output, :error_output, :registry, :logger
-      attr_accessor :target, :verbose, :dry_run
+      attr_accessor :target, :verbose, :debug, :dry_run
 
       def initialize(input: $stdin, output: $stdout, error_output: $stderr, remote: nil, registry: {})
-        @verbose      = @dry_run = false
+        @verbose = @debug = @dry_run = false
         @input        = input
         @output       = output
         @error_output = error_output
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ module Producer
         @verbose
       end
 
+      def debug?
+        @debug
+      end
+
       def dry_run?
         @dry_run
       end
diff --git a/spec/producer/core/cli_spec.rb b/spec/producer/core/cli_spec.rb
index a3fd902..dbde3c3 100644
--- a/spec/producer/core/cli_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/producer/core/cli_spec.rb
@@ -112,6 +112,15 @@ module Producer::Core
         end
       end
 
+      context 'with debug option' do
+        let(:options) { %w[-d] }
+
+        it 'assigns the given target to the env' do
+          cli.parse_arguments!
+          expect(cli.env).to be_debug
+        end
+      end
+
       context 'with combined options' do
         let(:options) { %w[-vn]}
 
diff --git a/spec/producer/core/env_spec.rb b/spec/producer/core/env_spec.rb
index d595013..44db8cd 100644
--- a/spec/producer/core/env_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/producer/core/env_spec.rb
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ module Producer::Core
         expect(env.verbose).to be false
       end
 
+      it 'assigns debug as false' do
+        expect(env.debug).to be false
+      end
+
       it 'assigns dry run as false' do
         expect(env.dry_run).to be false
       end
@@ -168,6 +172,13 @@ module Producer::Core
       end
     end
 
+    describe '#debug?' do
+      it 'returns true when debug is enabled' do
+        env.debug = true
+        expect(env).to be_debug
+      end
+    end
+
     describe '#dry_run?' do
       it 'returns true when dry run is enabled' do
         env.dry_run = true
diff --git a/spec/producer/core/error_formatter_spec.rb b/spec/producer/core/error_formatter_spec.rb
index fd4bc86..e833c30 100644
--- a/spec/producer/core/error_formatter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/producer/core/error_formatter_spec.rb
@@ -23,14 +23,15 @@ module Producer
       end
 
       describe '#format' do
-        let(:message)   { 'some exception' }
-        let(:exception) { Exception.new(message) }
-
-        before { exception.set_backtrace %w[back trace] }
+        def exception
+          begin fail 'original exception' rescue fail 'some exception' end
+        rescue
+          $!.tap { |o| o.set_backtrace %w[back trace] }
+        end
 
         it 'formats the message' do
           expect(formatter.format exception)
-            .to match /^Exception: some exception$/
+            .to match /^RuntimeError: some exception$/
         end
 
         it 'indents the backtrace' do
@@ -43,6 +44,14 @@ module Producer
           it 'excludes producer code from the backtrace' do
             expect(formatter.format exception).not_to include 'producer-core'
           end
+
+          context 'when debug is enabled' do
+            let(:debug) { true }
+
+            it 'does not exclude producer code from the backtrace' do
+              expect(formatter.format exception).to include 'producer-core'
+            end
+          end
         end
       end
     end