diff --git a/src/vs/vscode.proposed.d.ts b/src/vs/vscode.proposed.d.ts
index 39abad445aa..3606de8cb27 100644
--- a/src/vs/vscode.proposed.d.ts
+++ b/src/vs/vscode.proposed.d.ts
@@ -121,4 +121,16 @@ declare module 'vscode' {
 		 */
 		export function registerDiffInformationCommand(command: string, callback: (diff: LineChange[], ...args: any[]) => any, thisArg?: any): Disposable;
 	}
+
+	export namespace debug {
+
+		/**
+		 * Start debugging by using either a named launch or named compound configuration,
+		 * or by directly passing a DebugConfiguration.
+		 * Before debugging starts, all unsaved files are saved and the launch configurations are up-to-date.
+		 * @param nameOrConfiguration Either the name of a debug or compound configuration or a DebugConfiguration object.
+		 * @return A thenable that resolves when debugging could be successfully started.
+		 */
+		export function startDebugging(nameOrConfiguration: string | DebugConfiguration): Thenable<boolean>;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadDebugService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadDebugService.ts
index 8f85bd5312c..8177021316c 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadDebugService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadDebugService.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,19 @@ export class MainThreadDebugService extends MainThreadDebugServiceShape {
 		this._toDispose = dispose(this._toDispose);
 	}
 
+	public $startDebugging(nameOrConfiguration: string | IConfig): TPromise<boolean> {
+
+		if (typeof nameOrConfiguration === 'string') {
+			return this.debugService.startDebugging(nameOrConfiguration).then(x => {
+				return true;
+			}, err => {
+				return TPromise.wrapError(err && err.message ? err.message : 'cannot start debugging');
+			});
+		} else {
+			return TPromise.wrapError(new Error('startDebugging with configuration object not yet implemented'));
+		}
+	}
+
 	public $startDebugSession(configuration: IConfig): TPromise<DebugSessionUUID> {
 		if (configuration.request !== 'launch' && configuration.request !== 'attach') {
 			return TPromise.wrapError(new Error(`only 'launch' or 'attach' allowed for 'request' attribute`));
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts
index 727328a3db1..561cabb4116 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts
@@ -467,6 +467,9 @@ export function createApiFactory(
 			get activeDebugSession() {
 				return extHostDebugService.activeDebugSession;
 			},
+			startDebugging: proposedApiFunction(extension, (nameOrConfig: string | vscode.DebugConfiguration) => {
+				return extHostDebugService.startDebugging(nameOrConfig);
+			}),
 			startDebugSession(config: vscode.DebugConfiguration) {
 				return extHostDebugService.startDebugSession(config);
 			},
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
index 8425a69ad20..2700b733366 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
@@ -345,6 +345,7 @@ export abstract class MainThreadSCMShape {
 export type DebugSessionUUID = string;
 
 export abstract class MainThreadDebugServiceShape {
+	$startDebugging(nameOrConfig: string | vscode.DebugConfiguration): TPromise<boolean> { throw ni(); }
 	$startDebugSession(config: vscode.DebugConfiguration): TPromise<DebugSessionUUID> { throw ni(); }
 	$customDebugAdapterRequest(id: DebugSessionUUID, command: string, args: any): TPromise<any> { throw ni(); }
 }
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostDebugService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostDebugService.ts
index 8ff6c387d7c..b9dc8d8b7e3 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostDebugService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostDebugService.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@ export class ExtHostDebugService extends ExtHostDebugServiceShape {
 		this._debugServiceProxy = threadService.get(MainContext.MainThreadDebugService);
 	}
 
+	public startDebugging(nameOrConfig: string | vscode.DebugConfiguration): TPromise<boolean> {
+
+		return this._debugServiceProxy.$startDebugging(nameOrConfig);
+	}
+
 	public startDebugSession(config: vscode.DebugConfiguration): TPromise<vscode.DebugSession> {
 
 		return this._debugServiceProxy.$startDebugSession(config).then((id: DebugSessionUUID) => {