diff --git a/firebase-vscode/package.json b/firebase-vscode/package.json
index 6de4ca57c69..8321c6862d4 100644
--- a/firebase-vscode/package.json
+++ b/firebase-vscode/package.json
@@ -77,6 +77,11 @@
           "default": true,
           "markdownDescription": "%ext.config.idx.viewMetricNotice%",
           "scope": "application"
+        },
+        "firebase.debug": {
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "default": false,
+          "markdownDescription": "%ext.config.debug%"
         }
       }
     },
diff --git a/firebase-vscode/package.nls.json b/firebase-vscode/package.nls.json
index 2fd89eb524d..6064872232b 100644
--- a/firebase-vscode/package.nls.json
+++ b/firebase-vscode/package.nls.json
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   "ext.config.firebasePath": "Path to the `Firebase` module, e.g. `./node_modules/firebase`",
   "ext.config.hosting.useFrameworks": "Enable web frameworks",
   "ext.config.npmPath": "Path to NPM executable in local environment",
+  "ext.config.debug": "When true, add the --debug flag to any commands run by the extension",
   "ext.config.title": "Prettier",
   "ext.config.idx.viewMetricNotice": "Show data collection notice on next startup (IDX Only)"
 }
diff --git a/firebase-vscode/src/data-connect/terminal.ts b/firebase-vscode/src/data-connect/terminal.ts
index d09c8ce73b0..d5383d28d01 100644
--- a/firebase-vscode/src/data-connect/terminal.ts
+++ b/firebase-vscode/src/data-connect/terminal.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export function setTerminalEnvVars(envVar: string, value: string) {
 }
 
 export function runCommand(command: string) {
+  const settings = getSettings();
   const terminalOptions: TerminalOptions = {
     name: "Data Connect Terminal",
     env: environmentVariables,
@@ -30,6 +31,9 @@ export function runCommand(command: string) {
   if (currentProjectId.value) {
     command = `${command} --project ${currentProjectId.value}`;
   }
+  if (settings.debug) {
+    command = `${command} --debug`;
+  }
   terminal.sendText(command);
 }
 
@@ -38,6 +42,7 @@ export function runTerminalTask(
   command: string,
   presentationOptions: vscode.TaskPresentationOptions = { focus: true },
 ): Promise<string> {
+  const settings = getSettings();
   const type = "firebase-" + Date.now();
   return new Promise(async (resolve, reject) => {
     vscode.tasks.onDidEndTaskProcess(async (e) => {
@@ -60,7 +65,7 @@ export function runTerminalTask(
       vscode.TaskScope.Workspace,
       taskName,
       "firebase",
-      new vscode.ShellExecution(command, executionOptions),
+      new vscode.ShellExecution(`${command} ${settings.debug ? "--debug" : ""}`, executionOptions),
     );
     task.presentationOptions = presentationOptions;
     await vscode.tasks.executeTask(task);
diff --git a/firebase-vscode/src/utils/settings.ts b/firebase-vscode/src/utils/settings.ts
index a1ba94a1568..680fbdfe6b4 100644
--- a/firebase-vscode/src/utils/settings.ts
+++ b/firebase-vscode/src/utils/settings.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ export interface Settings {
   readonly npmPath: string;
   readonly useFrameworks: boolean;
   readonly shouldShowIdxMetricNotice: boolean;
+  readonly debug: boolean;
 }
 
 // TODO: Temporary fallback for bashing, this should probably point to the global firebase binary on the system
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ export function getSettings(): Settings {
       "idx.viewMetricNotice",
       true,
     ),
+    debug: config.get<boolean>("debug", false),
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/firebaseConfigValidate.ts b/src/firebaseConfigValidate.ts
index f662a6d6e66..d52b11fde31 100644
--- a/src/firebaseConfigValidate.ts
+++ b/src/firebaseConfigValidate.ts
@@ -31,14 +31,14 @@ export function getValidator(): ValidateFunction {
 
 export function getErrorMessage(e: ErrorObject) {
   if (e.keyword === "additionalProperties") {
-    return `Object "${e.instancePath}" in "firebase.json" has unknown property: ${JSON.stringify(
+    return `Object "${e.dataPath}" in "firebase.json" has unknown property: ${JSON.stringify(
       e.params,
     )}`;
   } else if (e.keyword === "required") {
     return `Object "${
-      e.instancePath
+      e.dataPath
     }" in "firebase.json" is missing required property: ${JSON.stringify(e.params)}`;
   } else {
-    return `Field "${e.instancePath}" in "firebase.json" is possibly invalid: ${e.message}`;
+    return `Field "${e.dataPath}" in "firebase.json" is possibly invalid: ${e.message}`;
   }
 }