diff --git a/integrationtest/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/itest/testutil/runner/ProcessorSuiteRunner.java b/integrationtest/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/itest/testutil/runner/ProcessorSuiteRunner.java
index f56504c4a..970ac78d0 100644
--- a/integrationtest/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/itest/testutil/runner/ProcessorSuiteRunner.java
+++ b/integrationtest/src/test/java/org/mapstruct/itest/testutil/runner/ProcessorSuiteRunner.java
@@ -47,6 +47,16 @@ import static org.apache.maven.shared.utils.io.FileUtils.deleteDirectory;
  */
 public class ProcessorSuiteRunner extends ParentRunner<ProcessorTestCase> {
 
+    /**
+     * System property for specifying the location of the toolchains.xml file
+     */
+    public static final String SYS_PROP_TOOLCHAINS_FILE = "processorIntegrationTest.toolchainsFile";
+
+    /**
+     * System property to enable remote debugging of the processor execution in the integration test
+     */
+    public static final String SYS_PROP_DEBUG = "processorIntegrationTest.debug";
+
     public static final class ProcessorTestCase {
         private final String baseDir;
         private final ProcessorType processor;
@@ -147,7 +157,22 @@ public class ProcessorSuiteRunner extends ParentRunner<ProcessorTestCase> {
         File destination = extractTest( child, description );
         PrintStream originalOut = System.out;
 
-        Verifier verifier = new Verifier( destination.getCanonicalPath() );
+        final Verifier verifier;
+        if ( Boolean.getBoolean( SYS_PROP_DEBUG ) ) {
+            if ( child.processor.getToolchain() == null ) {
+                // when not using toolchains for a test, then the compiler is executed within the Maven JVM. So make
+                // sure we fork a new JVM for that, and let that new JVM use the command 'mvnDebug' instead of 'mvn'
+                verifier = new Verifier( destination.getCanonicalPath(), null, true, true );
+                verifier.setDebugJvm( true );
+            }
+            else {
+                verifier = new Verifier( destination.getCanonicalPath() );
+                verifier.addCliOption( "-Pdebug-forked-javac" );
+            }
+        }
+        else {
+            verifier = new Verifier( destination.getCanonicalPath() );
+        }
 
         List<String> goals = new ArrayList<String>( 3 );
 
@@ -166,6 +191,11 @@ public class ProcessorSuiteRunner extends ParentRunner<ProcessorTestCase> {
                 verifier.addCliOption( "-Dmapstruct-artifact-id=mapstruct" );
             }
 
+            if ( Boolean.getBoolean( SYS_PROP_DEBUG ) ) {
+                originalOut.print( "Processor Integration Test: " );
+                originalOut.println( "Listening for transport dt_socket at address: 8000 (in some seconds)" );
+            }
+
             goals.add( "test" );
 
             originalOut.println( "executing " + child.processor.name().toLowerCase() );
@@ -222,7 +252,7 @@ public class ProcessorSuiteRunner extends ParentRunner<ProcessorTestCase> {
     }
 
     private static File getSpecifiedToolchainsFile() {
-        String specifiedToolchainsFile = System.getProperty( "processorIntegrationTest.toolchainsFile" );
+        String specifiedToolchainsFile = System.getProperty( SYS_PROP_TOOLCHAINS_FILE );
         if ( null != specifiedToolchainsFile ) {
             try {
                 File canonical = new File( specifiedToolchainsFile ).getCanonicalFile();
diff --git a/integrationtest/src/test/resources/pom.xml b/integrationtest/src/test/resources/pom.xml
index b71f9e86f..e9ce4bdeb 100644
--- a/integrationtest/src/test/resources/pom.xml
+++ b/integrationtest/src/test/resources/pom.xml
@@ -115,6 +115,34 @@
                 </plugins>
             </build>
         </profile>
+        <profile>
+            <id>debug-forked-javac</id>
+            <activation>
+                <activeByDefault>false</activeByDefault>
+            </activation>
+            <build>
+                <plugins>
+                    <plugin>
+                        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+                        <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
+                        <executions>
+                            <execution>
+                                <id>default-compile</id>
+                                <configuration>
+                                    <fork>true</fork>
+                                    <compilerArgs>
+                                        <arg>-J-Xdebug</arg>
+                                        <arg>-J-Xnoagent</arg>
+                                        <arg>-J-Djava.compiler=NONE</arg>
+                                        <arg>-J-Xrunjdwp:transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=y,address=8000</arg>
+                                    </compilerArgs>
+                                </configuration>
+                            </execution>
+                        </executions>
+                    </plugin>
+                </plugins>
+            </build>
+        </profile>
     </profiles>
 
     <dependencies>
diff --git a/parent/pom.xml b/parent/pom.xml
index b9c400f83..df01390f4 100644
--- a/parent/pom.xml
+++ b/parent/pom.xml
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
         <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
         <com.jolira.hickory.version>1.0.0</com.jolira.hickory.version>
         <org.apache.maven.plugins.enforcer.version>1.2</org.apache.maven.plugins.enforcer.version>
+        <org.apache.maven.plugins.surefire.version>2.17</org.apache.maven.plugins.surefire.version>
         <org.springframework.version>4.0.3.RELEASE</org.springframework.version>
 
         <forkCount>1</forkCount>
@@ -200,11 +201,11 @@
                 <artifactId>mapstruct-processor</artifactId>
                 <version>${project.version}</version>
             </dependency>
-			<dependency>
-				<groupId>org.apache.maven.shared</groupId>
-				<artifactId>maven-verifier</artifactId>
-				<version>1.5</version>
-			</dependency>
+            <dependency>
+                <groupId>org.apache.maven.shared</groupId>
+                <artifactId>maven-verifier</artifactId>
+                <version>1.5</version>
+            </dependency>
 
             <!-- Not directly used but required for dependency convergence -->
             <dependency>
@@ -337,10 +338,17 @@
                 <plugin>
                     <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                     <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
-                    <version>2.17</version>
+                    <version>${org.apache.maven.plugins.surefire.version}</version>
                     <configuration>
                         <forkCount>${forkCount}</forkCount>
                     </configuration>
+                    <dependencies>
+                        <dependency>
+                            <groupId>org.apache.maven.surefire</groupId>
+                            <artifactId>surefire-junit47</artifactId>
+                            <version>${org.apache.maven.plugins.surefire.version}</version>
+                        </dependency>
+                    </dependencies>
                 </plugin>
                 <plugin>
                     <groupId>com.mycila.maven-license-plugin</groupId>
@@ -425,16 +433,16 @@
                     <artifactId>jacoco-maven-plugin</artifactId>
                     <version>0.7.1.201405082137</version>
                 </plugin>
-	            <plugin>
-	                <groupId>org.jvnet.jaxb2.maven2</groupId>
-	                <artifactId>maven-jaxb2-plugin</artifactId>
-	                <version>0.9.0</version>
-	            </plugin>
-	            <plugin>
-	                <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
-	                <artifactId>properties-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-	                <version>1.0-alpha-2</version>
-	            </plugin>
+                <plugin>
+                    <groupId>org.jvnet.jaxb2.maven2</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>maven-jaxb2-plugin</artifactId>
+                    <version>0.9.0</version>
+                </plugin>
+                <plugin>
+                    <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>properties-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+                    <version>1.0-alpha-2</version>
+                </plugin>
             </plugins>
         </pluginManagement>