diff --git a/.azure-pipelines.yml b/.azure-pipelines.yml
index 1d5127ae5a1..c84eae249b6 100644
--- a/.azure-pipelines.yml
+++ b/.azure-pipelines.yml
@@ -151,12 +151,19 @@ jobs:
       # display disk space usage
       df -h
       # configure
-      export AMReX_CMAKE_FLAGS="-DAMReX_ASSERTIONS=ON -DAMReX_TESTING=ON"
-      cmake -S . -B build       \
-        ${AMReX_CMAKE_FLAGS}    \
-        ${WARPX_CMAKE_FLAGS}    \
-        -DWarpX_TEST_CLEANUP=ON \
-        -DWarpX_TEST_FPETRAP=ON
+      export AMReX_CMAKE_FLAGS=(
+        "-DAMReX_ASSERTIONS=ON"
+        "-DAMReX_TESTING=ON"
+      )
+      export WARPX_TEST_FLAGS=(
+        "-DWarpX_TEST_CLEANUP=ON"
+        "-DWarpX_TEST_FPETRAP=ON"
+        "-DWarpX_TEST_DEBUG=ON"
+      )
+      cmake -S . -B build    \
+        ${AMReX_CMAKE_FLAGS} \
+        ${WARPX_CMAKE_FLAGS} \
+        ${WARPX_TEST_FLAGS}
       # build
       cmake --build build -j 2
       # display disk space usage
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 66fe63230d9..1c4986f7fa0 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -90,6 +90,13 @@ mark_as_advanced(WarpX_TEST_CLEANUP)
 option(WarpX_TEST_FPETRAP "Run CI tests with FPE-trapping runtime parameters" OFF)
 mark_as_advanced(WarpX_TEST_FPETRAP)
 
+# Advanced option to run CI tests with the -g compile option
+option(WarpX_TEST_DEBUG "Run CI tests with the -g compile option" OFF)
+mark_as_advanced(WarpX_TEST_DEBUG)
+if(WarpX_TEST_DEBUG)
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -g")
+endif()
+
 set(WarpX_DIMS_VALUES 1 2 3 RZ)
 set(WarpX_DIMS 3 CACHE STRING "Simulation dimensionality <1;2;3;RZ>")
 list(REMOVE_DUPLICATES WarpX_DIMS)