diff --git a/src/main/json/service.config.schema.json b/src/main/json/service.config.schema.json
index f390d65..f0001da 100644
--- a/src/main/json/service.config.schema.json
+++ b/src/main/json/service.config.schema.json
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   "properties": {
     "artifactsRepo": { "type": "string" },
     "authSecret": { "type": "string" },
+    "debug": { "type": "bool" },
     "pwdCost": { "type": "integer" },
     "projects": {
       "title": "ProjectsList",
diff --git a/src/main/nim/strawbosspkg/configuration.nim b/src/main/nim/strawbosspkg/configuration.nim
index 48f8e46..a01cfc2 100644
--- a/src/main/nim/strawbosspkg/configuration.nim
+++ b/src/main/nim/strawbosspkg/configuration.nim
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ type
   StrawBossConfig* = object
     artifactsRepo*: string
     authSecret*: string
+    debug*: bool
     projects*: seq[ProjectDef]
     pwdCost*: int8
     users*: seq[UserRef]
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ proc loadStrawBossConfig*(cfgFile: string): StrawBossConfig =
   result = StrawBossConfig(
     artifactsRepo: jsonCfg.getIfExists("artifactsRepo").getStr("artifacts"),
     authSecret: jsonCfg.getOrFail("authSecret", "strawboss config").getStr,
+    debug: jsonCfg.getIfExists("debug").getBVal(false),
     pwdCost: int8(jsonCfg.getOrFail("pwdCost", "strawboss config").getNum),
     projects: projectDefs,
     users: users)
diff --git a/src/main/nim/strawbosspkg/server.nim b/src/main/nim/strawbosspkg/server.nim
index 4be72fe..b8d12c7 100644
--- a/src/main/nim/strawbosspkg/server.nim
+++ b/src/main/nim/strawbosspkg/server.nim
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import asyncdispatch, bcrypt, jester, json, jwt, osproc, sequtils, tempfile,
+import asyncdispatch, bcrypt, jester, json, jwt, os, osproc, sequtils, tempfile,
   times, unittest
 
 import ./configuration, ./core, private/util
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ template requireAuth() =
 
 proc start*(givenCfg: StrawBossConfig): void =
 
+  let stopFuture = newFuture[void]()
   var workers: seq[Worker] = @[]
 
   routes:
@@ -136,4 +137,10 @@ proc start*(givenCfg: StrawBossConfig): void =
         buildRef: if @"buildRef" != "": @"buildRef" else: nil,
         forceRebuild: false)))  # TODO support this with optional query params
 
-  runForever()
+    post "/service/debug/stop":
+      if not givenCfg.debug: resp(Http404, makeJsonResp(Http404), "application/json")
+      else:
+        callSoon(proc(): void = complete(stopFuture))
+        resp($(%*"shutting down"), "application/json")
+
+  waitFor(stopFuture)
diff --git a/src/test/json/strawboss.config.json b/src/test/json/strawboss.config.json
index 0b9c044..e608d60 100644
--- a/src/test/json/strawboss.config.json
+++ b/src/test/json/strawboss.config.json
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 {
   "artifactsRepo": "artifacts",
   "authSecret": "change me",
+  "debug": true,
   "users": [
     { "name": "bob@builder.com", "hashedPwd": "testvalue" },
     { "name": "sam@sousa.com", "hashedPwd": "testvalue" }
diff --git a/strawboss.config.json b/strawboss.config.json
index c674130..3f25516 100644
--- a/strawboss.config.json
+++ b/strawboss.config.json
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 {
   "artifactsRepo": "artifacts",
+  "debug": true,
   "users": [],
   "authSecret": "change me",
   "pwdCost": 11,