diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d10286d2..f91c7695 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -824,6 +824,28 @@
                                 "type": "boolean",
                                 "default": false,
                                 "description": "Delete any currently installed dev channel before starting the debug session"
+                            },
+                            "remoteControlMode": {
+                                "oneOf": [
+                                    {
+                                        "type": "object",
+                                        "description": "Options for activating and deactivating remote control mode",
+                                        "properties": {
+                                            "activateOnSessionStart": {
+                                                "type": "boolean",
+                                                "description": "Activate remote control mode on debug session start"
+                                            },
+                                            "deactivateOnSessionEnd": {
+                                                "type": "boolean",
+                                                "description": "Deactivate remote control mode on session end"
+                                            }
+                                        }
+                                    },
+                                    {
+                                        "type": "boolean",
+                                        "description": "Activate on session start, deactivate on session end."
+                                    }
+                                ]
                             }
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/src/DebugConfigurationProvider.spec.ts b/src/DebugConfigurationProvider.spec.ts
index 8148b288..3a3f55a9 100644
--- a/src/DebugConfigurationProvider.spec.ts
+++ b/src/DebugConfigurationProvider.spec.ts
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ describe('BrightScriptConfigurationProvider', () => {
                         s`${folder.uri.fsPath}/out/`
                     );
                 } else {
-                    expect(config[key], `Expected "${key}" to match the default`).to.equal(configDefaults[key]);
+                    expect(config[key], `Expected "${key}" to match the default`).to.deep.equal(configDefaults[key]);
                 }
             }
         });
@@ -164,6 +164,19 @@ describe('BrightScriptConfigurationProvider', () => {
             expect(config.packagePort).to.equal(1234);
             expect(config.remotePort).to.equal(5678);
         });
+
+        [
+            { input: true, expected: { activateOnSessionStart: true, deactivateOnSessionEnd: true } },
+            { input: false, expected: { activateOnSessionStart: false, deactivateOnSessionEnd: false } },
+            { input: undefined, expected: { activateOnSessionStart: false, deactivateOnSessionEnd: false } }
+        ].forEach(({ input, expected }) => {
+            it('allows using a bool value for remoteConfigMode', async () => {
+                let config = await configProvider.resolveDebugConfiguration(folder, <any>{
+                    remoteControlMode: input
+                });
+                expect(config.remoteControlMode).to.deep.equal(expected);
+            });
+        });
     });
 
     describe('processLogfilePath', () => {
diff --git a/src/DebugConfigurationProvider.ts b/src/DebugConfigurationProvider.ts
index 972106be..5f46cd9a 100644
--- a/src/DebugConfigurationProvider.ts
+++ b/src/DebugConfigurationProvider.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,11 @@ export class BrightScriptDebugConfigurationProvider implements DebugConfiguratio
             enableDebugProtocol: false,
             remotePort: 8060,
             rendezvousTracking: true,
-            deleteDevChannelBeforeInstall: false
+            deleteDevChannelBeforeInstall: false,
+            remoteControlMode: {
+                activateOnSessionStart: false,
+                deactivateOnSessionEnd: false
+            }
         };
 
         let config: any = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration('brightscript') || {};
@@ -243,6 +247,17 @@ export class BrightScriptDebugConfigurationProvider implements DebugConfiguratio
         config.cwd = folderUri.fsPath;
         config.rendezvousTracking = config.rendezvousTracking === false ? false : true;
         config.deleteDevChannelBeforeInstall = config.deleteDevChannelBeforeInstall === true;
+        if (typeof config.remoteControlMode === 'boolean') {
+            config.remoteControlMode = {
+                activateOnSessionStart: config.remoteControlMode,
+                deactivateOnSessionEnd: config.remoteControlMode
+            };
+        } else {
+            config.remoteControlMode = {
+                activateOnSessionStart: config.remoteControlMode?.activateOnSessionStart ?? this.configDefaults.remoteControlMode.activateOnSessionStart,
+                deactivateOnSessionEnd: config.remoteControlMode?.deactivateOnSessionEnd ?? this.configDefaults.remoteControlMode.deactivateOnSessionEnd
+            };
+        }
 
         if (config.request !== 'launch') {
             await vscode.window.showErrorMessage(`roku-debug only supports the 'launch' request type`);
@@ -561,4 +576,10 @@ export interface BrightScriptLaunchConfiguration extends LaunchConfiguration {
      * If injectRdbOnDeviceComponent is true and this is true the screen saver will be be disabled while the deployed application is running.
      */
     disableScreenSaver?: boolean;
+
+    /**
+     * If set, the remote control will be enabled/disabled at the start/end of the debug session, respectively.
+     * @default { activateOnSessionStart: false, deactivateOnSessionEnd: false }
+     */
+    remoteControlMode?: { activateOnSessionStart?: boolean; deactivateOnSessionEnd?: boolean };
 }
diff --git a/src/extension.ts b/src/extension.ts
index 7a9eb016..c733d938 100644
--- a/src/extension.ts
+++ b/src/extension.ts
@@ -177,6 +177,10 @@ export class Extension {
             //if this is a brightscript debug session
             if (e.type === 'brightscript') {
                 this.chanperfStatusBar.hide();
+                const config = e.configuration as BrightScriptLaunchConfiguration;
+                if (config.remoteControlMode?.deactivateOnSessionEnd) {
+                    void this.remoteControlManager.setRemoteControlMode(false, 'launch');
+                }
             }
         });
 
@@ -212,6 +216,9 @@ export class Extension {
             const config = e.body as BrightScriptLaunchConfiguration;
             await docLinkProvider.setLaunchConfig(config);
             logOutputManager.setLaunchConfig(config);
+            if (config.remoteControlMode?.activateOnSessionStart) {
+                void this.remoteControlManager.setRemoteControlMode(true, 'launch');
+            }
         } else if (isChannelPublishedEvent(e)) {
             this.webviewViewProviderManager.onChannelPublishedEvent(e);
             //write debug server log statements to the DebugServer output channel
diff --git a/src/managers/RemoteControlManager.ts b/src/managers/RemoteControlManager.ts
index 2e2289d3..9a3bb68e 100644
--- a/src/managers/RemoteControlManager.ts
+++ b/src/managers/RemoteControlManager.ts
@@ -128,4 +128,4 @@ export class RemoteControlManager {
     }
 }
 
-export type RemoteControlModeInitiator = 'statusbar' | 'command';
+export type RemoteControlModeInitiator = 'statusbar' | 'command' | 'launch';