diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index a69309e1f..2a4985189 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ function MainApp() {
     debugOpen,
     setDebugOpen,
     debugEntries,
-    hasDebugAlerts,
+    showDebugButton,
     addDebugEntry,
     handleCopyDebug,
     clearDebugEntries
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ function MainApp() {
     handleApprovalDecision,
     onOpenSettings: handleOpenSettings,
     onOpenDebug: handleDebugClick,
-    hasDebugAlerts,
+    showDebugButton,
     onAddWorkspace: handleAddWorkspace,
     onSelectHome: selectHome,
     onSelectWorkspace: (workspaceId) => {
diff --git a/src/components/Sidebar.tsx b/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
index 9f5fb230a..671260240 100644
--- a/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ type SidebarProps = {
   accountRateLimits: RateLimitSnapshot | null;
   onOpenSettings: () => void;
   onOpenDebug: () => void;
-  hasDebugAlerts: boolean;
+  showDebugButton: boolean;
   onAddWorkspace: () => void;
   onSelectHome: () => void;
   onSelectWorkspace: (id: string) => void;
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export function Sidebar({
   accountRateLimits,
   onOpenSettings,
   onOpenDebug,
-  hasDebugAlerts,
+  showDebugButton,
   onAddWorkspace,
   onSelectHome,
   onSelectWorkspace,
@@ -733,7 +733,7 @@ export function Sidebar({
         >
           <Settings size={14} aria-hidden />
         </button>
-        {hasDebugAlerts && (
+        {showDebugButton && (
           <button
             className="ghost sidebar-corner-button"
             type="button"
diff --git a/src/hooks/useDebugLog.ts b/src/hooks/useDebugLog.ts
index 0add2a897..f0f8d79a2 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useDebugLog.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useDebugLog.ts
@@ -4,9 +4,10 @@ import type { DebugEntry } from "../types";
 const MAX_DEBUG_ENTRIES = 200;
 
 export function useDebugLog() {
-  const [debugOpen, setDebugOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [debugOpen, setDebugOpenState] = useState(false);
   const [debugEntries, setDebugEntries] = useState<DebugEntry[]>([]);
   const [hasDebugAlerts, setHasDebugAlerts] = useState(false);
+  const [debugPinned, setDebugPinned] = useState(false);
 
   const shouldLogEntry = useCallback((entry: DebugEntry) => {
     if (entry.source === "error" || entry.source === "stderr") {
@@ -59,11 +60,27 @@ export function useDebugLog() {
     setHasDebugAlerts(false);
   }, []);
 
+  const setDebugOpen = useCallback(
+    (next: boolean | ((prev: boolean) => boolean)) => {
+      setDebugOpenState((prev) => {
+        const resolved = typeof next === "function" ? next(prev) : next;
+        if (resolved) {
+          setDebugPinned(true);
+        }
+        return resolved;
+      });
+    },
+    [],
+  );
+
+  const showDebugButton = hasDebugAlerts || debugOpen || debugPinned;
+
   return {
     debugOpen,
     setDebugOpen,
     debugEntries,
     hasDebugAlerts,
+    showDebugButton,
     addDebugEntry,
     handleCopyDebug,
     clearDebugEntries,
diff --git a/src/hooks/useLayoutNodes.tsx b/src/hooks/useLayoutNodes.tsx
index 1056ca68c..e03b14a02 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useLayoutNodes.tsx
+++ b/src/hooks/useLayoutNodes.tsx
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ type LayoutNodesOptions = {
   ) => void;
   onOpenSettings: () => void;
   onOpenDebug: () => void;
-  hasDebugAlerts: boolean;
+  showDebugButton: boolean;
   onAddWorkspace: () => void;
   onSelectHome: () => void;
   onSelectWorkspace: (workspaceId: string) => void;
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ export function useLayoutNodes(options: LayoutNodesOptions): LayoutNodesResult {
       accountRateLimits={options.activeRateLimits}
       onOpenSettings={options.onOpenSettings}
       onOpenDebug={options.onOpenDebug}
-      hasDebugAlerts={options.hasDebugAlerts}
+      showDebugButton={options.showDebugButton}
       onAddWorkspace={options.onAddWorkspace}
       onSelectHome={options.onSelectHome}
       onSelectWorkspace={options.onSelectWorkspace}