diff --git a/atom/browser/javascript_environment.cc b/atom/browser/javascript_environment.cc
index 4e825e38142d..cc06bb6ff9c2 100644
--- a/atom/browser/javascript_environment.cc
+++ b/atom/browser/javascript_environment.cc
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #include "atom/browser/javascript_environment.h"
 
+#include "base/command_line.h"
 #include "gin/array_buffer.h"
 #include "gin/v8_initializer.h"
 
@@ -20,6 +21,12 @@ JavascriptEnvironment::JavascriptEnvironment()
 }
 
 bool JavascriptEnvironment::Initialize() {
+  auto cmd = base::CommandLine::ForCurrentProcess();
+  if (cmd->HasSwitch("debug-brk")) {
+    // Need to be called before v8::Initialize().
+    const char expose_debug_as[] = "--expose_debug_as=v8debug";
+    v8::V8::SetFlagsFromString(expose_debug_as, sizeof(expose_debug_as) - 1);
+  }
   gin::IsolateHolder::Initialize(gin::IsolateHolder::kNonStrictMode,
                                  gin::ArrayBufferAllocator::SharedInstance());
   return true;
diff --git a/atom/browser/node_debugger.cc b/atom/browser/node_debugger.cc
index da5602a88137..2cfcdb222aea 100644
--- a/atom/browser/node_debugger.cc
+++ b/atom/browser/node_debugger.cc
@@ -35,17 +35,14 @@ NodeDebugger::NodeDebugger(v8::Isolate* isolate)
       weak_factory_(this) {
   bool use_debug_agent = false;
   int port = 5858;
-  bool wait_for_connection = false;
 
   std::string port_str;
   base::CommandLine* cmd = base::CommandLine::ForCurrentProcess();
   if (cmd->HasSwitch("debug")) {
     use_debug_agent = true;
     port_str = cmd->GetSwitchValueASCII("debug");
-  }
-  if (cmd->HasSwitch("debug-brk")) {
+  } else if (cmd->HasSwitch("debug-brk")) {
     use_debug_agent = true;
-    wait_for_connection = true;
     port_str = cmd->GetSwitchValueASCII("debug-brk");
   }
 
@@ -56,9 +53,6 @@ NodeDebugger::NodeDebugger(v8::Isolate* isolate)
     isolate_->SetData(kIsolateSlot, this);
     v8::Debug::SetMessageHandler(DebugMessageHandler);
 
-    if (wait_for_connection)
-      v8::Debug::DebugBreak(isolate_);
-
     uv_async_init(uv_default_loop(), &weak_up_ui_handle_, ProcessMessageInUI);
 
     // Start a new IO thread.