diff --git a/apps/debugger/src/app/debugger-api.ts b/apps/debugger/src/app/debugger-api.ts
index f33c46763b..d715911552 100644
--- a/apps/debugger/src/app/debugger-api.ts
+++ b/apps/debugger/src/app/debugger-api.ts
@@ -172,14 +172,16 @@ export const DebuggerApiMixin = (Base) => class extends Base {
 
   showMessage (title: string, message: string) {}
 
-  onStartDebugging () {
+  onStartDebugging (debuggerBackend: any) {
     this.call('layout', 'maximiseSidePanel')
     this.emit('startDebugging')
+    this.debuggerBackend = debuggerBackend
   }
 
   onStopDebugging () {
     this.call('layout', 'resetSidePanel')
     this.emit('stopDebugging')
+    this.debuggerBackend = null
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/debugger/src/app/debugger.ts b/apps/debugger/src/app/debugger.ts
index eee4d77ffd..fb8f769c19 100644
--- a/apps/debugger/src/app/debugger.ts
+++ b/apps/debugger/src/app/debugger.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { IDebuggerApi, LineColumnLocation,
   onBreakpointClearedListener, onBreakpointAddedListener, onEditorContentChanged, onEnvChangedListener, TransactionReceipt } from '@remix-ui/debugger-ui'
 import { DebuggerApiMixin } from './debugger-api'
 import { CompilerAbstract } from '@remix-project/remix-solidity'
- 
+
 export class DebuggerClientApi extends DebuggerApiMixin(PluginClient) {  
   constructor () {
     super()    
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export class DebuggerClientApi extends DebuggerApiMixin(PluginClient) {
   setFile: (path: string, content: string) => Promise<void>
   getDebugWeb3: () => any // returns an instance of web3.js, if applicable (mainet, goerli, ...) it returns a reference to a node from devops (so we are sure debug endpoint is available)
   web3: () => any // returns an instance of web3.js
-  onStartDebugging: () => void // called when debug starts
+  onStartDebugging: (debuggerBackend: any) => void // called when debug starts
   onStopDebugging: () => void // called when debug stops
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/remix-ui/debugger-ui/src/lib/debugger-ui.tsx b/libs/remix-ui/debugger-ui/src/lib/debugger-ui.tsx
index 6ea07f3d5e..1f044edc05 100644
--- a/libs/remix-ui/debugger-ui/src/lib/debugger-ui.tsx
+++ b/libs/remix-ui/debugger-ui/src/lib/debugger-ui.tsx
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ export const DebuggerUI = (props: DebuggerUIProps) => {
     })
 
     setTimeout(async() => {
-      debuggerModule.onStartDebugging()
+      debuggerModule.onStartDebugging(debuggerInstance)
       try {
         await debuggerInstance.debug(blockNumber, txNumber, tx, () => {
           listenToEvents(debuggerInstance, currentReceipt)
diff --git a/libs/remix-ui/debugger-ui/src/lib/idebugger-api.ts b/libs/remix-ui/debugger-ui/src/lib/idebugger-api.ts
index ae688027d2..ea7abf9e69 100644
--- a/libs/remix-ui/debugger-ui/src/lib/idebugger-api.ts
+++ b/libs/remix-ui/debugger-ui/src/lib/idebugger-api.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ export interface IDebuggerApi {
     getDebugWeb3: () => any // returns an instance of web3.js, if applicable (mainet, goerli, ...) it returns a reference to a node from devops (so we are sure debug endpoint is available)
     web3: () => any // returns an instance of web3.js
     showMessage (title: string, message: string): void
-    onStartDebugging (): void // called when debug starts
+    onStartDebugging (debuggerBackend: any): void // called when debug starts
     onStopDebugging (): void // called when debug stops
 }