diff --git a/xtask/src/args.rs b/xtask/src/args.rs
index 7cc4a06..2b34887 100644
--- a/xtask/src/args.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/args.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@ pub struct Args {
 
 #[derive(Subcommand)]
 pub enum Command {
-    Run,
+    Run {
+        #[arg(short, long)]
+        release: bool,
+    },
     Collect,
     Mapper,
 }
diff --git a/xtask/src/main.rs b/xtask/src/main.rs
index cf8e8c7..a4df741 100644
--- a/xtask/src/main.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/main.rs
@@ -15,8 +15,11 @@ async fn main() {
         .expect("Failed to change to workspace directory");
 
     match args.command {
-        Some(args::Command::Run) | None => {
-            run::run().await;
+        Some(args::Command::Run { release }) => {
+            run::run(release).await;
+        }
+        None => {
+            run::run(false).await;
         }
         Some(args::Command::Collect) => {
             collect::collect().await;
diff --git a/xtask/src/run.rs b/xtask/src/run.rs
index 91af653..cb878cb 100644
--- a/xtask/src/run.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/run.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use tokio_util::sync::CancellationToken;
 
 type ProcessHandle = Arc<Mutex<Option<Child>>>;
 
-pub async fn run() {
+pub async fn run(release: bool) {
     let qjackctl_handle: ProcessHandle = Arc::new(Mutex::new(None));
     let audio_engine_handle: ProcessHandle = Arc::new(Mutex::new(None));
     let gui_handle: ProcessHandle = Arc::new(Mutex::new(None));
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ pub async fn run() {
     // Start processes
     let qjackctl = spawn_qjackctl().await;
     tokio::time::sleep(tokio::time::Duration::from_secs(2)).await;
-    let audio_engine = spawn_audio_engine().await;
-    let gui = spawn_gui().await;
-    let simulator = spawn_simulator().await;
+    let audio_engine = spawn_audio_engine(release).await;
+    let gui = spawn_gui(release).await;
+    let simulator = spawn_simulator(release).await;
 
     // Store handles for cleanup
     *qjackctl_handle.lock().await = Some(qjackctl);
@@ -130,11 +130,12 @@ async fn spawn_qjackctl() -> Child {
         .expect("Could not start qjackctl")
 }
 
-async fn spawn_audio_engine() -> Child {
+async fn spawn_audio_engine(release: bool) -> Child {
     Command::new("cargo")
         .args([
             "run",
-            "--release",
+            "--profile",
+            if release { "release" } else { "debug" },
             "--bin",
             "audio_engine",
             "--",
@@ -145,18 +146,31 @@ async fn spawn_audio_engine() -> Child {
         .expect("Could not start audio engine")
 }
 
-async fn spawn_gui() -> Child {
+async fn spawn_gui(release: bool) -> Child {
     Command::new("cargo")
-        .args(["run", "--release", "--bin", "gui"])
+        .args([
+            "run",
+            "--profile",
+            if release { "release" } else { "debug" },
+            "--bin",
+            "gui"
+        ])
         .spawn()
         .expect("Could not start gui")
 }
 
-async fn spawn_simulator() -> Child {
-    Command::new("cargo")
-        .args(["run", "--release", "--bin", "simulator"])
-        .spawn()
-        .expect("Could not start simulator")
+async fn spawn_simulator(release: bool) -> Child {
+    if release {
+        Command::new("sleep")
+            .args(["infinity"])
+            .spawn()
+            .expect("Could not start simulator")
+    } else {
+        Command::new("cargo")
+            .args(["run", "--release", "--bin", "simulator"])
+            .spawn()
+            .expect("Could not start simulator")
+    }
 }
 
 async fn kill_process(child: &mut Child, name: &str) {