diff --git a/debugger/frames/debugger_general_options.pas b/debugger/frames/debugger_general_options.pas
index 1c6649a6c0..dab943feee 100644
--- a/debugger/frames/debugger_general_options.pas
+++ b/debugger/frames/debugger_general_options.pas
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ begin
     gcbDebuggerGeneralOptions.Checked[3] := DebuggerAutoCloseAsm;
     gcbDebuggerGeneralOptions.Checked[4] := DebuggerAutoSetInstanceFromClass;
     gcbDebuggerGeneralOptions.Checked[5] := DebuggerAllowFunctionCalls;
+    gcbDebuggerGeneralOptions.Checked[6] := DebuggerOptions.AlwaysBringDbgDialogsToFront;
   end;
   txtAdditionalPath.Text:=EnvironmentOptions.GetParsedDebuggerSearchPath;
 end;
@@ -117,6 +118,7 @@ begin
   gcbDebuggerGeneralOptions.Items.Add(lisDebugOptionsFrmAutoCloseAsm);           // 3 auto close asm
   gcbDebuggerGeneralOptions.Items.Add(lisDebugOptionsFrmAutoInstanceClass);      // 4 auto set class-from-instance
   gcbDebuggerGeneralOptions.Items.Add(lisDebugOptionsFrmAllowFunctionCalls);     // 5 allow function calls
+  gcbDebuggerGeneralOptions.Items.Add(lisDebugOptionsFrmDialogsToFront);     // 6 bring dialogs to front
 end;
 
 procedure TDebuggerGeneralOptionsFrame.ReadSettings(AOptions: TAbstractIDEOptions);
@@ -141,6 +143,7 @@ begin
     DebuggerAutoCloseAsm             := gcbDebuggerGeneralOptions.Checked[3];
     DebuggerAutoSetInstanceFromClass := gcbDebuggerGeneralOptions.Checked[4];
     DebuggerAllowFunctionCalls       := gcbDebuggerGeneralOptions.Checked[5];
+    DebuggerOptions.AlwaysBringDbgDialogsToFront := gcbDebuggerGeneralOptions.Checked[6];
   end;
 end;
 
diff --git a/ide/debugmanager.pas b/ide/debugmanager.pas
index 4a5206bd5c..6bc19ed2c7 100644
--- a/ide/debugmanager.pas
+++ b/ide/debugmanager.pas
@@ -1802,6 +1802,7 @@ const
   );
 var
   CurDialog: TDebuggerDlg;
+  AW: HWND;
 begin
   if Destroying then exit;
   if (ADialogType = ddtPseudoTerminal) and not HasConsoleSupport
@@ -1868,7 +1869,10 @@ begin
   if Show then
   begin
     CurDialog.BeginUpdate;
-    IDEWindowCreators.ShowForm(CurDialog,BringToFront,vmOnlyMoveOffScreenToVisible);
+    AW := GetActiveWindow;
+    IDEWindowCreators.ShowForm(CurDialog,BringToFront or DebuggerOptions.AlwaysBringDbgDialogsToFront,vmOnlyMoveOffScreenToVisible);
+    if (not BringToFront) and DebuggerOptions.AlwaysBringDbgDialogsToFront then
+      SetActiveWindow(AW);
     CurDialog.EndUpdate;
   end;
 end;
diff --git a/ide/lazarusidestrconsts.pas b/ide/lazarusidestrconsts.pas
index fa0bdcb678..7815d7f97b 100644
--- a/ide/lazarusidestrconsts.pas
+++ b/ide/lazarusidestrconsts.pas
@@ -5332,6 +5332,7 @@ resourcestring
   lisDebugOptionsFrmAutoCloseAsm = 'Automatically close the assembler window, after source not found';
   lisDebugOptionsFrmAutoInstanceClass = 'Automatically set "use instance class type" for new watches';
   lisDebugOptionsFrmAllowFunctionCalls = 'BETA: Allow function calls in watches (if supported by backend)';
+  lisDebugOptionsFrmDialogsToFront = 'Always bring debug-windows (watches, locals) to front when adding items';
   lisDebugOptionsFrmDebuggerSpecific = 'Debugger specific options (depends on '
     +'type of debugger)';
   lisDebugOptionsFrmEventLog = 'Event Log';
diff --git a/ide/packages/idedebugger/idedebuggeropts.pas b/ide/packages/idedebugger/idedebuggeropts.pas
index 8ea8edc41f..05bb23eee5 100644
--- a/ide/packages/idedebugger/idedebuggeropts.pas
+++ b/ide/packages/idedebugger/idedebuggeropts.pas
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ type
     *)
     DebuggerOptsVersionFpDebugUpdate = 1;
   private
+    FAlwaysBringDbgDialogsToFront: boolean;
     FBreakpointsDialogShowTree: TBreakpointsDialogShowTreeType;
     FFilename: string;
     FFileVersion: integer;
@@ -175,6 +176,7 @@ type
   published
     property SetupCheckIgnoreNoDefault: Boolean read FSetupCheckIgnoreNoDefault write FSetupCheckIgnoreNoDefault;
     property BreakpointsDialogShowTree: TBreakpointsDialogShowTreeType read FBreakpointsDialogShowTree write FBreakpointsDialogShowTree default bstBrkGroup;
+    property AlwaysBringDbgDialogsToFront: boolean read FAlwaysBringDbgDialogsToFront write FAlwaysBringDbgDialogsToFront default true;
   end;
 
   TCurrentDebuggerSetupResult = (
@@ -835,6 +837,7 @@ procedure TDebuggerOptions.Init;
 begin
   // Init for all published values
   FBreakpointsDialogShowTree := bstBrkGroup;
+  FAlwaysBringDbgDialogsToFront := True;
 end;
 
 procedure TDebuggerOptions.Load;