diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 85ba23f05..7cdf302c6 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ set(MO2_CMAKE_DEPRECATED_UIBASE_INCLUDE ON)
 
 project(organizer)
 
+find_package(mo2-cmake CONFIG REQUIRED)
+
 # if MO2_INSTALL_IS_BIN is set, this means that we should install directly into the
 # installation prefix, without the bin/ subfolder, typically for a standalone build
 # to update an existing install
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 123e876b0..54d7af59f 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.16)
 
-find_package(mo2-cmake CONFIG REQUIRED)
 
 find_package(usvfs CONFIG REQUIRED)
 
diff --git a/src/settings.cpp b/src/settings.cpp
index ef1785b16..c22502031 100644
--- a/src/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/settings.cpp
@@ -2392,6 +2392,15 @@ void DiagnosticsSettings::setLootLogLevel(lootcli::LogLevels level)
   set(m_Settings, "Settings", "loot_log_level", level);
 }
 
+bool DiagnosticsSettings::usvfsDebugMode() const
+{
+  return get<bool>(m_Settings, "Settings", "usvfs_debug_mode", false);
+}
+void DiagnosticsSettings::setUsvfsDebugMode(bool enabled)
+{
+  set(m_Settings, "Settings", "usvfs_debug_mode", enabled);
+}
+
 env::CoreDumpTypes DiagnosticsSettings::coreDumpType() const
 {
   return get<env::CoreDumpTypes>(m_Settings, "Settings", "crash_dumps_type",
diff --git a/src/settings.h b/src/settings.h
index edc1d6445..ddca27eeb 100644
--- a/src/settings.h
+++ b/src/settings.h
@@ -713,6 +713,10 @@ class DiagnosticsSettings
   lootcli::LogLevels lootLogLevel() const;
   void setLootLogLevel(lootcli::LogLevels level);
 
+  // set USVFS debug mode
+  bool usvfsDebugMode() const;
+  void setUsvfsDebugMode(bool enabled);
+
   // crash dump type for both MO and usvfs
   //
   env::CoreDumpTypes coreDumpType() const;
diff --git a/src/settingsdialog.ui b/src/settingsdialog.ui
index 6011b1588..91448cb30 100644
--- a/src/settingsdialog.ui
+++ b/src/settingsdialog.ui
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <x>0</x>
     <y>0</y>
     <width>820</width>
-    <height>592</height>
+    <height>607</height>
    </rect>
   </property>
   <property name="windowTitle">
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
    <item>
     <widget class="QTabWidget" name="tabWidget">
      <property name="currentIndex">
-      <number>0</number>
+      <number>7</number>
      </property>
      <widget class="QWidget" name="generalTab">
       <attribute name="title">
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@
            <rect>
             <x>0</x>
             <y>0</y>
-            <width>761</width>
-            <height>550</height>
+            <width>766</width>
+            <height>611</height>
            </rect>
           </property>
           <property name="autoFillBackground">
@@ -1052,8 +1052,8 @@ If you disable this feature, MO will only display official DLCs this way. Please
            <rect>
             <x>0</x>
             <y>0</y>
-            <width>761</width>
-            <height>515</height>
+            <width>766</width>
+            <height>548</height>
            </rect>
           </property>
           <property name="autoFillBackground">
@@ -1742,8 +1742,8 @@ If you disable this feature, MO will only display official DLCs this way. Please
            <rect>
             <x>0</x>
             <y>0</y>
-            <width>778</width>
-            <height>475</height>
+            <width>780</width>
+            <height>489</height>
            </rect>
           </property>
           <property name="autoFillBackground">
@@ -2041,9 +2041,6 @@ p, li { white-space: pre-wrap; }
               </item>
               <item>
                <spacer name="horizontalSpacer">
-                <property name="orientation">
-                 <enum>Qt::Orientation::Horizontal</enum>
-                </property>
                 <property name="sizeHint" stdset="0">
                  <size>
                   <width>40</width>
@@ -2247,6 +2244,16 @@ programs you are intentionally running.</string>
             </property>
            </widget>
           </item>
+          <item row="3" column="1">
+           <widget class="QCheckBox" name="usvfsDebugModeBox">
+            <property name="toolTip">
+             <string>For developer only.</string>
+            </property>
+            <property name="text">
+             <string>USVFS Debug Mode</string>
+            </property>
+           </widget>
+          </item>
          </layout>
         </widget>
        </item>
diff --git a/src/settingsdialogdiagnostics.cpp b/src/settingsdialogdiagnostics.cpp
index d9db7de15..10d427c37 100644
--- a/src/settingsdialogdiagnostics.cpp
+++ b/src/settingsdialogdiagnostics.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ DiagnosticsSettingsTab::DiagnosticsSettingsTab(Settings& s, SettingsDialog& d)
   setLogLevel();
   setLootLogLevel();
   setCrashDumpTypesBox();
+  ui->usvfsDebugModeBox->setChecked(settings().diagnostics().usvfsDebugMode());
 
   ui->dumpsMaxEdit->setValue(settings().diagnostics().maxCoreDumps());
 
@@ -103,6 +104,8 @@ void DiagnosticsSettingsTab::update()
   settings().diagnostics().setLogLevel(
       static_cast<log::Levels>(ui->logLevelBox->currentData().toInt()));
 
+  settings().diagnostics().setUsvfsDebugMode(ui->usvfsDebugModeBox->isChecked());
+
   settings().diagnostics().setCoreDumpType(
       static_cast<env::CoreDumpTypes>(ui->dumpsTypeBox->currentData().toInt()));
 
diff --git a/src/usvfsconnector.cpp b/src/usvfsconnector.cpp
index 8d1d29601..6639f1624 100644
--- a/src/usvfsconnector.cpp
+++ b/src/usvfsconnector.cpp
@@ -130,13 +130,14 @@ UsvfsConnector::UsvfsConnector()
   const LogLevel logLevel = toUsvfsLogLevel(s.diagnostics().logLevel());
   const auto dumpType     = toUsvfsCrashDumpsType(s.diagnostics().coreDumpType());
   const auto delay        = duration_cast<milliseconds>(s.diagnostics().spawnDelay());
+  const auto debugMode    = s.diagnostics().usvfsDebugMode();
   std::string dumpPath =
       MOShared::ToString(OrganizerCore::getGlobalCoreDumpPath(), true);
 
   usvfsParameters* params = usvfsCreateParameters();
 
   usvfsSetInstanceName(params, SHMID);
-  usvfsSetDebugMode(params, false);
+  usvfsSetDebugMode(params, debugMode);
   usvfsSetLogLevel(params, logLevel);
   usvfsSetCrashDumpType(params, dumpType);
   usvfsSetCrashDumpPath(params, dumpPath.c_str());