diff --git a/src/platform/commandline.c b/src/platform/commandline.c
index 772778b68..eecf19250 100644
--- a/src/platform/commandline.c
+++ b/src/platform/commandline.c
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 #include "commandline.h"
 
+#ifdef USE_CLI_DEBUGGER
+#include "debugger/cli-debugger.h"
+#endif
+
+#ifdef USE_GDB_STUB
+#include "debugger/gdb-stub.h"
+#endif
+
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <getopt.h>
 
@@ -51,6 +59,40 @@ int parseCommandArgs(struct StartupOptions* opts, int argc, char* const* argv) {
 	return 1;
 }
 
+struct ARMDebugger* createDebugger(struct StartupOptions* opts) {
+	union DebugUnion {
+		struct ARMDebugger d;
+#ifdef USE_CLI_DEBUGGER
+		struct CLIDebugger cli;
+#endif
+#ifdef USE_GDB_STUB
+		struct GDBStub gdb;
+#endif
+	};
+
+	union DebugUnion* debugger = malloc(sizeof(union DebugUnion));
+
+	switch (opts->debuggerType) {
+#ifdef USE_CLI_DEBUGGER
+	case DEBUGGER_CLI:
+		CLIDebuggerCreate(&debugger->cli);
+		break;
+#endif
+#ifdef USE_GDB_STUB
+	case DEBUGGER_GDB:
+		GDBStubCreate(&debugger->gdb);
+		break;
+#endif
+	case DEBUGGER_NONE:
+	case DEBUGGER_MAX:
+		free(debugger);
+		return 0;
+		break;
+	}
+
+	return &debugger->d;
+}
+
 void usage(const char* arg0) {
 	printf("%s: bad arguments\n", arg0);
 }
diff --git a/src/platform/commandline.h b/src/platform/commandline.h
index 2b6c1b711..d14246935 100644
--- a/src/platform/commandline.h
+++ b/src/platform/commandline.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ struct StartupOptions {
 };
 
 int parseCommandArgs(struct StartupOptions* opts, int argc, char* const* argv);
+struct ARMDebugger* createDebugger(struct StartupOptions* opts);
 void usage(const char* arg0);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/platform/sdl/gl-main.c b/src/platform/sdl/gl-main.c
index 14e4672ab..eacb9ee40 100644
--- a/src/platform/sdl/gl-main.c
+++ b/src/platform/sdl/gl-main.c
@@ -77,18 +77,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	union {
-		struct ARMDebugger d;
-#ifdef USE_CLI_DEBUGGER
-		struct CLIDebugger cli;
-#endif
-#ifdef USE_GDB_STUB
-		struct GDBStub gdb;
-#endif
-	} debugger;
-
 	struct GBAThread context = {
-		.debugger = &debugger.d,
 		.renderer = &renderer.d.d,
 		.startCallback = _GBASDLStart,
 		.cleanCallback = _GBASDLClean,
@@ -97,22 +86,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
 		.userData = &renderer
 	};
 
-	switch (opts.debuggerType) {
-#ifdef USE_CLI_DEBUGGER
-	case DEBUGGER_CLI:
-		CLIDebuggerCreate(&debugger.cli);
-		break;
-#endif
-#ifdef USE_GDB_STUB
-	case DEBUGGER_GDB:
-		GDBStubCreate(&debugger.gdb);
-		break;
-#endif
-	case DEBUGGER_NONE:
-	case DEBUGGER_MAX:
-		context.debugger = 0;
-		break;
-	}
+	context.debugger = createDebugger(&opts);
 
 	GBAMapOptionsToContext(&opts, &context);
 
@@ -125,6 +99,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
 	if (opts.biosFd >= 0) {
 		close(opts.biosFd);
 	}
+	free(context.debugger);
 
 	_GBASDLDeinit(&renderer);