diff --git a/src/vs/code/electron-main/app.ts b/src/vs/code/electron-main/app.ts
index 60c8b78835b..ea93934523a 100644
--- a/src/vs/code/electron-main/app.ts
+++ b/src/vs/code/electron-main/app.ts
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ export class CodeApplication {
 
 			// Create driver
 			if (this.environmentService.driverHandle) {
-				serveDriver(this.electronIpcServer, this.environmentService.driverHandle, appInstantiationService).then(server => {
+				serveDriver(this.electronIpcServer, this.environmentService.driverHandle, this.environmentService, appInstantiationService).then(server => {
 					this.logService.info('Driver started at:', this.environmentService.driverHandle);
 					this.toDispose.push(server);
 				});
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/driver/common/driver.ts b/src/vs/platform/driver/common/driver.ts
index b40326a162b..b3f472863c6 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/driver/common/driver.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/driver/common/driver.ts
@@ -150,13 +150,17 @@ export class DriverChannelClient implements IDriver {
 	}
 }
 
+export interface IDriverOptions {
+	verbose: boolean;
+}
+
 export interface IWindowDriverRegistry {
-	registerWindowDriver(windowId: number): TPromise<void>;
+	registerWindowDriver(windowId: number): TPromise<IDriverOptions>;
 	reloadWindowDriver(windowId: number): TPromise<void>;
 }
 
 export interface IWindowDriverRegistryChannel extends IChannel {
-	call(command: 'registerWindowDriver', arg: number): TPromise<void>;
+	call(command: 'registerWindowDriver', arg: number): TPromise<IDriverOptions>;
 	call(command: 'reloadWindowDriver', arg: number): TPromise<void>;
 	call(command: string, arg: any): TPromise<any>;
 }
@@ -181,7 +185,7 @@ export class WindowDriverRegistryChannelClient implements IWindowDriverRegistry
 
 	constructor(private channel: IWindowDriverRegistryChannel) { }
 
-	registerWindowDriver(windowId: number): TPromise<void> {
+	registerWindowDriver(windowId: number): TPromise<IDriverOptions> {
 		return this.channel.call('registerWindowDriver', windowId);
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/driver/electron-browser/driver.ts b/src/vs/platform/driver/electron-browser/driver.ts
index 60bce74b113..897401df06e 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/driver/electron-browser/driver.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/driver/electron-browser/driver.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { IPCClient } from 'vs/base/parts/ipc/common/ipc';
 import { IInstantiationService } from 'vs/platform/instantiation/common/instantiation';
 import { getTopLeftOffset, getClientArea } from 'vs/base/browser/dom';
 import * as electron from 'electron';
+import { IWindowService } from 'vs/platform/windows/common/windows';
 
 function serializeElement(element: Element, recursive: boolean): IElement {
 	const attributes = Object.create(null);
@@ -40,7 +41,9 @@ function serializeElement(element: Element, recursive: boolean): IElement {
 
 class WindowDriver implements IWindowDriver {
 
-	constructor() { }
+	constructor(
+		@IWindowService private windowService: IWindowService
+	) { }
 
 	async click(selector: string, xoffset?: number, yoffset?: number): TPromise<void> {
 		return this._click(selector, 1, xoffset, yoffset);
@@ -183,6 +186,10 @@ class WindowDriver implements IWindowDriver {
 
 		return lines;
 	}
+
+	async openDevTools(): TPromise<void> {
+		await this.windowService.openDevTools({ mode: 'detach' });
+	}
 }
 
 export async function registerWindowDriver(
@@ -197,7 +204,11 @@ export async function registerWindowDriver(
 	const windowDriverRegistryChannel = client.getChannel('windowDriverRegistry');
 	const windowDriverRegistry = new WindowDriverRegistryChannelClient(windowDriverRegistryChannel);
 
-	await windowDriverRegistry.registerWindowDriver(windowId);
+	const options = await windowDriverRegistry.registerWindowDriver(windowId);
+
+	if (options.verbose) {
+		windowDriver.openDevTools();
+	}
 
 	const disposable = toDisposable(() => windowDriverRegistry.reloadWindowDriver(windowId));
 	return combinedDisposable([disposable, client]);
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/driver/electron-main/driver.ts b/src/vs/platform/driver/electron-main/driver.ts
index badeeab4a1f..89cce0f3717 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/driver/electron-main/driver.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/driver/electron-main/driver.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 import { TPromise } from 'vs/base/common/winjs.base';
-import { IDriver, DriverChannel, IElement, IWindowDriverChannel, WindowDriverChannelClient, IWindowDriverRegistry, WindowDriverRegistryChannel, IWindowDriver } from 'vs/platform/driver/common/driver';
+import { IDriver, DriverChannel, IElement, IWindowDriverChannel, WindowDriverChannelClient, IWindowDriverRegistry, WindowDriverRegistryChannel, IWindowDriver, IDriverOptions } from 'vs/platform/driver/common/driver';
 import { IWindowsMainService } from 'vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windows';
 import { serve as serveNet } from 'vs/base/parts/ipc/node/ipc.net';
 import { combinedDisposable, IDisposable } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import { SimpleKeybinding, KeyCode } from 'vs/base/common/keyCodes';
 import { USLayoutResolvedKeybinding } from 'vs/platform/keybinding/common/usLayoutResolvedKeybinding';
 import { OS } from 'vs/base/common/platform';
 import { Emitter, toPromise } from 'vs/base/common/event';
+import { IEnvironmentService } from 'vs/platform/environment/common/environment';
 
 // TODO@joao: bad layering!
 import { KeybindingIO } from 'vs/workbench/services/keybinding/common/keybindingIO';
@@ -45,13 +46,15 @@ export class Driver implements IDriver, IWindowDriverRegistry {
 
 	constructor(
 		private windowServer: IPCServer,
+		private options: IDriverOptions,
 		@IWindowsMainService private windowsService: IWindowsMainService
 	) { }
 
-	async registerWindowDriver(windowId: number): TPromise<void> {
+	async registerWindowDriver(windowId: number): TPromise<IDriverOptions> {
 		this.registeredWindowIds.add(windowId);
 		this.reloadingWindowIds.delete(windowId);
 		this.onDidReloadingChange.fire();
+		return this.options;
 	}
 
 	async reloadWindowDriver(windowId: number): TPromise<void> {
@@ -203,9 +206,11 @@ export class Driver implements IDriver, IWindowDriverRegistry {
 export async function serve(
 	windowServer: IPCServer,
 	handle: string,
+	environmentService: IEnvironmentService,
 	instantiationService: IInstantiationService
 ): TPromise<IDisposable> {
-	const driver = instantiationService.createInstance(Driver, windowServer);
+	const verbose = environmentService.driverVerbose;
+	const driver = instantiationService.createInstance(Driver, windowServer, { verbose });
 
 	const windowDriverRegistryChannel = new WindowDriverRegistryChannel(driver);
 	windowServer.registerChannel('windowDriverRegistry', windowDriverRegistryChannel);
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/environment/common/environment.ts b/src/vs/platform/environment/common/environment.ts
index 7b9d2d42259..06f80764726 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/environment/common/environment.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/environment/common/environment.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ export interface ParsedArgs {
 	'file-chmod'?: boolean;
 	'upload-logs'?: string;
 	'driver'?: string;
+	'driver-verbose'?: boolean;
 }
 
 export const IEnvironmentService = createDecorator<IEnvironmentService>('environmentService');
@@ -133,4 +134,5 @@ export interface IEnvironmentService {
 	disableCrashReporter: boolean;
 
 	driverHandle: string;
+	driverVerbose: boolean;
 }
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/environment/node/argv.ts b/src/vs/platform/environment/node/argv.ts
index 7f14ec4ce06..39f51476eab 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/environment/node/argv.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/environment/node/argv.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ const options: minimist.Opts = {
 		'skip-add-to-recently-opened',
 		'status',
 		'file-write',
-		'file-chmod'
+		'file-chmod',
+		'driver-verbose'
 	],
 	alias: {
 		add: 'a',
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/environment/node/environmentService.ts b/src/vs/platform/environment/node/environmentService.ts
index cd875edaccd..381202a6d1b 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/environment/node/environmentService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/environment/node/environmentService.ts
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ export class EnvironmentService implements IEnvironmentService {
 	get disableCrashReporter(): boolean { return !!this._args['disable-crash-reporter']; }
 
 	get driverHandle(): string { return this._args['driver']; }
+	get driverVerbose(): boolean { return this._args['driver-verbose']; }
 
 	constructor(private _args: ParsedArgs, private _execPath: string) {
 		if (!process.env['VSCODE_LOGS']) {
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/windows/common/windows.ts b/src/vs/platform/windows/common/windows.ts
index fea8cb45f4f..bb161524a50 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/windows/common/windows.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/windows/common/windows.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ export interface OpenDialogOptions {
 	message?: string;
 }
 
+export interface IDevToolsOptions {
+	mode: 'right' | 'bottom' | 'undocked' | 'detach';
+}
+
 export interface IWindowsService {
 
 	_serviceBrand: any;
@@ -110,7 +114,7 @@ export interface IWindowsService {
 	showOpenDialog(windowId: number, options: OpenDialogOptions): TPromise<string[]>;
 
 	reloadWindow(windowId: number, args?: ParsedArgs): TPromise<void>;
-	openDevTools(windowId: number): TPromise<void>;
+	openDevTools(windowId: number, options?: IDevToolsOptions): TPromise<void>;
 	toggleDevTools(windowId: number): TPromise<void>;
 	closeWorkspace(windowId: number): TPromise<void>;
 	createAndEnterWorkspace(windowId: number, folders?: IWorkspaceFolderCreationData[], path?: string): TPromise<IEnterWorkspaceResult>;
@@ -185,7 +189,7 @@ export interface IWindowService {
 	pickFolderAndOpen(options: INativeOpenDialogOptions): TPromise<void>;
 	pickWorkspaceAndOpen(options: INativeOpenDialogOptions): TPromise<void>;
 	reloadWindow(args?: ParsedArgs): TPromise<void>;
-	openDevTools(): TPromise<void>;
+	openDevTools(options?: IDevToolsOptions): TPromise<void>;
 	toggleDevTools(): TPromise<void>;
 	closeWorkspace(): TPromise<void>;
 	updateTouchBar(items: ICommandAction[][]): TPromise<void>;
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/windows/common/windowsIpc.ts b/src/vs/platform/windows/common/windowsIpc.ts
index b7f82cc8472..e6bd74f3dd9 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/windows/common/windowsIpc.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/windows/common/windowsIpc.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 import { TPromise } from 'vs/base/common/winjs.base';
 import { Event, buffer } from 'vs/base/common/event';
 import { IChannel, eventToCall, eventFromCall } from 'vs/base/parts/ipc/common/ipc';
-import { IWindowsService, INativeOpenDialogOptions, IEnterWorkspaceResult, CrashReporterStartOptions, IMessageBoxResult, MessageBoxOptions, SaveDialogOptions, OpenDialogOptions } from 'vs/platform/windows/common/windows';
+import { IWindowsService, INativeOpenDialogOptions, IEnterWorkspaceResult, CrashReporterStartOptions, IMessageBoxResult, MessageBoxOptions, SaveDialogOptions, OpenDialogOptions, IDevToolsOptions } from 'vs/platform/windows/common/windows';
 import { IWorkspaceIdentifier, ISingleFolderWorkspaceIdentifier, IWorkspaceFolderCreationData } from 'vs/platform/workspaces/common/workspaces';
 import { IRecentlyOpened } from 'vs/platform/history/common/history';
 import { ICommandAction } from 'vs/platform/actions/common/actions';
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ export class WindowsChannel implements IWindowsChannel {
 			case 'showSaveDialog': return this.service.showSaveDialog(arg[0], arg[1]);
 			case 'showOpenDialog': return this.service.showOpenDialog(arg[0], arg[1]);
 			case 'reloadWindow': return this.service.reloadWindow(arg[0], arg[1]);
-			case 'openDevTools': return this.service.openDevTools(arg);
+			case 'openDevTools': return this.service.openDevTools(arg[0], arg[1]);
 			case 'toggleDevTools': return this.service.toggleDevTools(arg);
 			case 'closeWorkspace': return this.service.closeWorkspace(arg);
 			case 'createAndEnterWorkspace': {
@@ -197,8 +197,8 @@ export class WindowsChannelClient implements IWindowsService {
 		return this.channel.call('reloadWindow', [windowId, args]);
 	}
 
-	openDevTools(windowId: number): TPromise<void> {
-		return this.channel.call('openDevTools', windowId);
+	openDevTools(windowId: number, options?: IDevToolsOptions): TPromise<void> {
+		return this.channel.call('openDevTools', [windowId, options]);
 	}
 
 	toggleDevTools(windowId: number): TPromise<void> {
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-browser/windowService.ts b/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-browser/windowService.ts
index bfaca695a5b..fbc0aa9b39d 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-browser/windowService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-browser/windowService.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 import { Event, filterEvent, mapEvent, anyEvent } from 'vs/base/common/event';
 import { TPromise } from 'vs/base/common/winjs.base';
-import { IWindowService, IWindowsService, INativeOpenDialogOptions, IEnterWorkspaceResult, IMessageBoxResult, IWindowConfiguration } from 'vs/platform/windows/common/windows';
+import { IWindowService, IWindowsService, INativeOpenDialogOptions, IEnterWorkspaceResult, IMessageBoxResult, IWindowConfiguration, IDevToolsOptions } from 'vs/platform/windows/common/windows';
 import { IRecentlyOpened } from 'vs/platform/history/common/history';
 import { ICommandAction } from 'vs/platform/actions/common/actions';
 import { IWorkspaceFolderCreationData } from 'vs/platform/workspaces/common/workspaces';
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ export class WindowService implements IWindowService {
 		return this.windowsService.reloadWindow(this.windowId, args);
 	}
 
-	openDevTools(): TPromise<void> {
-		return this.windowsService.openDevTools(this.windowId);
+	openDevTools(options?: IDevToolsOptions): TPromise<void> {
+		return this.windowsService.openDevTools(this.windowId, options);
 	}
 
 	toggleDevTools(): TPromise<void> {
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windowsService.ts b/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windowsService.ts
index e8587efa62f..24c7924ff9a 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windowsService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windowsService.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { IDisposable, dispose } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
 import { assign } from 'vs/base/common/objects';
 import URI from 'vs/base/common/uri';
 import product from 'vs/platform/node/product';
-import { IWindowsService, OpenContext, INativeOpenDialogOptions, IEnterWorkspaceResult, IMessageBoxResult } from 'vs/platform/windows/common/windows';
+import { IWindowsService, OpenContext, INativeOpenDialogOptions, IEnterWorkspaceResult, IMessageBoxResult, IDevToolsOptions } from 'vs/platform/windows/common/windows';
 import { IEnvironmentService, ParsedArgs } from 'vs/platform/environment/common/environment';
 import { shell, crashReporter, app, Menu, clipboard } from 'electron';
 import { Event, fromNodeEventEmitter, mapEvent, filterEvent, anyEvent } from 'vs/base/common/event';
@@ -112,12 +112,12 @@ export class WindowsService implements IWindowsService, IURLHandler, IDisposable
 		return TPromise.as(null);
 	}
 
-	openDevTools(windowId: number): TPromise<void> {
+	openDevTools(windowId: number, options?: IDevToolsOptions): TPromise<void> {
 		this.logService.trace('windowsService#openDevTools', windowId);
 		const codeWindow = this.windowsMainService.getWindowById(windowId);
 
 		if (codeWindow) {
-			codeWindow.win.webContents.openDevTools();
+			codeWindow.win.webContents.openDevTools(options);
 		}
 
 		return TPromise.as(null);
diff --git a/test/smoke/src/application.ts b/test/smoke/src/application.ts
index cd63330d0ab..9f7d0e4f376 100644
--- a/test/smoke/src/application.ts
+++ b/test/smoke/src/application.ts
@@ -108,7 +108,8 @@ export class Application {
 			userDataDir: this.options.userDataDir,
 			extensionsPath: this.options.extensionsPath,
 			logger: this.options.logger,
-			extraArgs
+			verbose: this.options.verbose,
+			extraArgs,
 		});
 
 		this._workbench = new Workbench(this._code, this.keybindings, this.userDataPath);
diff --git a/test/smoke/src/main.ts b/test/smoke/src/main.ts
index eb74ad61c79..1015813ac2b 100644
--- a/test/smoke/src/main.ts
+++ b/test/smoke/src/main.ts
@@ -257,7 +257,8 @@ function createApp(quality: Quality): Application {
 		extensionsPath,
 		workspaceFilePath,
 		waitTime: parseInt(opts['wait-time'] || '0') || 20,
-		logger: new MultiLogger(loggers)
+		logger: new MultiLogger(loggers),
+		verbose: opts.verbose
 	});
 }
 
diff --git a/test/smoke/src/vscode/code.ts b/test/smoke/src/vscode/code.ts
index c60984c6441..9f5cf3f7e78 100644
--- a/test/smoke/src/vscode/code.ts
+++ b/test/smoke/src/vscode/code.ts
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ export interface SpawnOptions {
 	userDataDir: string;
 	extensionsPath: string;
 	logger: Logger;
+	verbose?: boolean;
 	extraArgs?: string[];
 }
 
@@ -122,6 +123,10 @@ export async function spawn(options: SpawnOptions): Promise<Code> {
 		args.unshift(repoPath);
 	}
 
+	if (options.verbose) {
+		args.push('--driver-verbose');
+	}
+
 	if (options.extraArgs) {
 		args.push(...options.extraArgs);
 	}