diff --git a/src/main/groovy/io/openliberty/tools/gradle/tasks/DevTask.groovy b/src/main/groovy/io/openliberty/tools/gradle/tasks/DevTask.groovy
index dbfc2b9d..99c17f46 100644
--- a/src/main/groovy/io/openliberty/tools/gradle/tasks/DevTask.groovy
+++ b/src/main/groovy/io/openliberty/tools/gradle/tasks/DevTask.groovy
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class DevTask extends AbstractFeatureTask {
     @Optional
     @Input
     DevTaskUtil util = null;
-
+	
     // Default DevMode argument values
     // DevMode uses CLI Arguments if provided, otherwise it uses ServerExtension properties if one exists, fallback to default value if neither are provided.
     private static final int DEFAULT_VERIFY_TIMEOUT = 30;
@@ -87,6 +87,11 @@ class DevTask extends AbstractFeatureTask {
     private static final boolean DEFAULT_KEEP_TEMP_DOCKERFILE = false;
     private static final boolean DEFAULT_GENERATE_FEATURES = false;
 
+	// Debug port for BuildLauncher tasks launched from DevTask as parent JVM
+	// (parent defaults to '5005')
+    private Integer childDebugPort = null;  // cache
+    private static final int DEFAULT_CHILD_DEBUG_PORT = 6006;
+
     protected final String CONTAINER_PROPERTY_ARG = '-P'+CONTAINER_PROPERTY+'=true';
 
     private Boolean hotTests;
@@ -98,6 +103,7 @@ class DevTask extends AbstractFeatureTask {
 
     private Boolean skipTests;
 
+
     @Option(option = 'skipTests', description = 'If this option is enabled, do not run any tests in dev mode. The default value is false.')
     void setSkipTests(boolean skipTests) {
         this.skipTests = skipTests;
@@ -1083,6 +1089,20 @@ class DevTask extends AbstractFeatureTask {
         final ThreadPoolExecutor executor = new ThreadPoolExecutor(1, 1, 0L, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS,
                 new ArrayBlockingQueue<Runnable>(1, true));
 
+		String localMavenRepoForFeatureUtility = new File(new File(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".m2"), "repository");
+			
+		File buildFile = project.getBuildFile();
+			
+		// Instantiate util before any child gradle tasks launched so it can help find available port if needed
+		this.util = new DevTaskUtil(project.buildDir, serverInstallDir, getUserDir(project, serverInstallDir),
+				serverDirectory, sourceDirectory, testSourceDirectory, configDirectory, project.getRootDir(),
+				resourceDirs, hotTests.booleanValue(), skipTests.booleanValue(), artifactId, serverStartTimeout.intValue(),
+				verifyAppStartTimeout.intValue(), verifyAppStartTimeout.intValue(), compileWait.doubleValue(),
+				libertyDebug.booleanValue(), pollingTest.booleanValue(), container.booleanValue(), dockerfile, dockerBuildContext, dockerRunOpts,
+				dockerBuildTimeout, skipDefaultPorts.booleanValue(), keepTempDockerfile.booleanValue(), localMavenRepoForFeatureUtility,
+				getPackagingType(), buildFile, generateFeatures.booleanValue()
+				);
+			
         ProjectConnection gradleConnection = initGradleProjectConnection();
         BuildLauncher gradleBuildLauncher = gradleConnection.newBuild();
         try {
@@ -1145,18 +1165,6 @@ class DevTask extends AbstractFeatureTask {
             gradleConnection.close();
         }
 
-        String localMavenRepoForFeatureUtility = new File(new File(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".m2"), "repository");
-
-        File buildFile = project.getBuildFile();
-
-        util = new DevTaskUtil(project.buildDir, serverInstallDir, getUserDir(project, serverInstallDir),
-                serverDirectory, sourceDirectory, testSourceDirectory, configDirectory, project.getRootDir(),
-                resourceDirs, hotTests.booleanValue(), skipTests.booleanValue(), artifactId, serverStartTimeout.intValue(),
-                verifyAppStartTimeout.intValue(), verifyAppStartTimeout.intValue(), compileWait.doubleValue(), 
-                libertyDebug.booleanValue(), pollingTest.booleanValue(), container.booleanValue(), dockerfile, dockerBuildContext, dockerRunOpts, 
-                dockerBuildTimeout, skipDefaultPorts.booleanValue(), keepTempDockerfile.booleanValue(), localMavenRepoForFeatureUtility, 
-                getPackagingType(), buildFile, generateFeatures.booleanValue()
-        );
 
         util.addShutdownHook(executor);
 
@@ -1296,6 +1304,14 @@ class DevTask extends AbstractFeatureTask {
         if (logger.isEnabled(LogLevel.DEBUG)) {
             buildLauncher.addArguments("--debug");
         }
+
+		if (Boolean.getBoolean("org.gradle.debug")) {
+			if (this.childDebugPort == null) {
+				childDebugPort = this.util.findAvailablePort(DEFAULT_CHILD_DEBUG_PORT, true)
+				logger.warn("Launch JVM with debug port = " + childDebugPort.toString() + ". The child daemon JVM will initially launch in a suspended state and require a debugger to be attached to proceed.")
+			}
+			buildLauncher.addArguments("-Dorg.gradle.debug.port=" + Integer.toString(childDebugPort))
+		}
         buildLauncher.run();
     }