diff --git a/tools/packaging/kata-deploy/local-build/kata-deploy-binaries.sh b/tools/packaging/kata-deploy/local-build/kata-deploy-binaries.sh
index ce8137af2b..9d63b12b24 100755
--- a/tools/packaging/kata-deploy/local-build/kata-deploy-binaries.sh
+++ b/tools/packaging/kata-deploy/local-build/kata-deploy-binaries.sh
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ KERNEL_HEADERS_PKG_TYPE="${KERNEL_HEADERS_PKG_TYPE:-deb}"
 RELEASE="${RELEASE:-"no"}"
 KBUILD_SIGN_PIN="${KBUILD_SIGN_PIN:-}"
 RUNTIME_CHOICE="${RUNTIME_CHOICE:-both}"
+KERNEL_DEBUG_ENABLED=${KERNEL_DEBUG_ENABLED:-"no"}
 
 workdir="${WORKDIR:-$PWD}"
 
diff --git a/tools/packaging/kernel/build-kernel.sh b/tools/packaging/kernel/build-kernel.sh
index c9a033d987..f08a5d4e30 100755
--- a/tools/packaging/kernel/build-kernel.sh
+++ b/tools/packaging/kernel/build-kernel.sh
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ readonly default_initramfs="${script_dir}/initramfs.cpio.gz"
 readonly VENDOR_INTEL="intel"
 readonly VENDOR_NVIDIA="nvidia"
 readonly KBUILD_SIGN_PIN=${KBUILD_SIGN_PIN:-""}
+readonly KERNEL_DEBUG_ENABLED=${KERNEL_DEBUG_ENABLED:-"no"}
 
 #Path to kernel directory
 kernel_path=""
@@ -315,6 +316,12 @@ get_kernel_frag_path() {
 		all_configs="${all_configs} ${sign_configs}"
 	fi
 
+	if [[ ${KERNEL_DEBUG_ENABLED} == "yes" ]]; then
+		info "Enable kernel debug"
+		local debug_configs="$(ls ${common_path}/common/debug.conf)"
+		all_configs="${all_configs} ${debug_configs}"
+	fi
+
 	if [[ "$force_setup_generate_config" == "true" ]]; then
 		info "Remove existing config ${config_path} due to '-f'"
 		[ -f "$config_path" ] && rm -f "${config_path}"
diff --git a/tools/packaging/kernel/configs/fragments/common/debug.conf b/tools/packaging/kernel/configs/fragments/common/debug.conf
index c8c5e5b127..a44fbc9675 100644
--- a/tools/packaging/kernel/configs/fragments/common/debug.conf
+++ b/tools/packaging/kernel/configs/fragments/common/debug.conf
@@ -4,3 +4,9 @@
 # configuration used for the running kernel.
 CONFIG_IKCONFIG=y
 CONFIG_IKCONFIG_PROC=y
+
+# Enable debugging features for the kernel
+CONFIG_DEBUG_INFO=y
+CONFIG_DEBUG_KERNEL=y
+CONFIG_DEBUG_FS=y
+CONFIG_DEBUG_INFO_DWARF4=y
diff --git a/tools/packaging/static-build/kernel/build.sh b/tools/packaging/static-build/kernel/build.sh
index 889283663b..50dbf64591 100755
--- a/tools/packaging/static-build/kernel/build.sh
+++ b/tools/packaging/static-build/kernel/build.sh
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ container_image="${KERNEL_CONTAINER_BUILDER:-$(get_kernel_image_name)}"
 MEASURED_ROOTFS=${MEASURED_ROOTFS:-no}
 KBUILD_SIGN_PIN="${KBUILD_SIGN_PIN:-}"
 kernel_builder_args="-a ${ARCH} $*"
+KERNEL_DEBUG_ENABLED=${KERNEL_DEBUG_ENABLED:-"no"}
 
 if [ "${MEASURED_ROOTFS}" == "yes" ]; then
 	info "build initramfs for cc kernel"
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ docker pull ${container_image} || \
 
 docker run --rm -i -v "${repo_root_dir}:${repo_root_dir}" \
 	-w "${PWD}" \
+	--env KERNEL_DEBUG_ENABLED="${KERNEL_DEBUG_ENABLED}" \
 	--user "$(id -u)":"$(id -g)" \
 	"${container_image}" \
 	bash -c "${kernel_builder} ${kernel_builder_args} setup"