diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9700c7f75b..4aea072016 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 * Conflict markers now include an explanation of what each part of the conflict
   represents.
 
+* `ui.color = "debug"` prints active labels alongside the regular colored output.
+
 ### Fixed bugs
 
 ## [0.17.0] - 2024-05-01
diff --git a/cli/src/cli_util.rs b/cli/src/cli_util.rs
index d32750ce9d..c08f2b725e 100644
--- a/cli/src/cli_util.rs
+++ b/cli/src/cli_util.rs
@@ -2407,7 +2407,7 @@ pub struct GlobalArgs {
 
 #[derive(clap::Args, Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct EarlyArgs {
-    /// When to colorize output (always, never, auto)
+    /// When to colorize output (always, never, debug, auto)
     #[arg(long, value_name = "WHEN", global = true)]
     pub color: Option<ColorChoice>,
     /// Silence non-primary command output
diff --git a/cli/src/config-schema.json b/cli/src/config-schema.json
index 6aad73449e..7ccb03bd9e 100644
--- a/cli/src/config-schema.json
+++ b/cli/src/config-schema.json
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
                     "enum": [
                         "always",
                         "never",
+                        "debug",
                         "auto"
                     ],
                     "default": "auto"
diff --git a/cli/src/formatter.rs b/cli/src/formatter.rs
index 965b3d48e4..af68b7b8a1 100644
--- a/cli/src/formatter.rs
+++ b/cli/src/formatter.rs
@@ -132,18 +132,19 @@ pub struct FormatterFactory {
 enum FormatterFactoryKind {
     PlainText,
     Sanitized,
-    Color { rules: Arc<Rules> },
+    Color { rules: Arc<Rules>, debug: bool },
 }
 
 impl FormatterFactory {
     pub fn prepare(
         config: &config::Config,
+        debug: bool,
         color: bool,
         sanitized: bool,
     ) -> Result<Self, config::ConfigError> {
         let kind = if color {
             let rules = Arc::new(rules_from_config(config)?);
-            FormatterFactoryKind::Color { rules }
+            FormatterFactoryKind::Color { rules, debug }
         } else if sanitized {
             FormatterFactoryKind::Sanitized
         } else {
@@ -159,8 +160,12 @@ impl FormatterFactory {
         match &self.kind {
             FormatterFactoryKind::PlainText => Box::new(PlainTextFormatter::new(output)),
             FormatterFactoryKind::Sanitized => Box::new(SanitizingFormatter::new(output)),
-            FormatterFactoryKind::Color { rules } => {
-                Box::new(ColorFormatter::new(output, rules.clone()))
+            FormatterFactoryKind::Color { rules, debug } => {
+                if *debug {
+                    Box::new(DebugFormatter::new(output, rules.clone()))
+                } else {
+                    Box::new(ColorFormatter::new(output, rules.clone()))
+                }
             }
         }
     }
@@ -522,6 +527,58 @@ impl<W: Write> Drop for ColorFormatter<W> {
     }
 }
 
+pub struct DebugFormatter<W: Write> {
+    formatter: ColorFormatter<W>,
+}
+
+impl<W: Write> DebugFormatter<W> {
+    pub fn new(output: W, rules: Arc<Rules>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            formatter: ColorFormatter::new(output, rules),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn for_config(output: W, config: &config::Config) -> Result<Self, config::ConfigError> {
+        let rules = rules_from_config(config)?;
+        Ok(Self::new(output, Arc::new(rules)))
+    }
+}
+
+impl<W: Write> Write for DebugFormatter<W> {
+    fn write(&mut self, data: &[u8]) -> Result<usize, Error> {
+        let labels = self.formatter.labels.clone();
+        write!(&mut self.formatter, "<<")?;
+        for (idx, label) in labels.iter().enumerate() {
+            if idx != 0 {
+                write!(&mut self.formatter, " ")?;
+            }
+            write!(&mut self.formatter, "{}", label)?;
+        }
+        write!(&mut self.formatter, "::")?;
+        self.formatter.write(data)?;
+        write!(&mut self.formatter, ">>")?;
+        Ok(data.len())
+    }
+
+    fn flush(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        self.formatter.flush()
+    }
+}
+
+impl<W: Write> Formatter for DebugFormatter<W> {
+    fn raw(&mut self) -> &mut dyn Write {
+        self.formatter.raw()
+    }
+
+    fn push_label(&mut self, label: &str) -> io::Result<()> {
+        self.formatter.push_label(label)
+    }
+
+    fn pop_label(&mut self) -> io::Result<()> {
+        self.formatter.pop_label()
+    }
+}
+
 /// Like buffered formatter, but records `push`/`pop_label()` calls.
 ///
 /// This allows you to manipulate the recorded data without losing labels.
@@ -1095,6 +1152,26 @@ mod tests {
         insta::assert_snapshot!(String::from_utf8(output).unwrap(), @" inside ");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_debug_formatter() {
+        // Behaves like the color formatter, but surrounds each write with <<...>>,
+        // adding the active labels before the actual content separated by a ::.
+        let config = config_from_string(
+            r#"
+        colors.outer = "green"
+        "#,
+        );
+        let mut output: Vec<u8> = vec![];
+        let mut formatter = DebugFormatter::for_config(&mut output, &config).unwrap();
+        formatter.push_label("outer").unwrap();
+        formatter.push_label("inner").unwrap();
+        write!(formatter, " inside ").unwrap();
+        formatter.pop_label().unwrap();
+        formatter.pop_label().unwrap();
+        drop(formatter);
+        insta::assert_snapshot!(String::from_utf8(output).unwrap(), @"<<outer inner:: inside >>");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_heading_labeled_writer() {
         let config = config_from_string(
diff --git a/cli/src/ui.rs b/cli/src/ui.rs
index 4907b4940e..59a3c70a3d 100644
--- a/cli/src/ui.rs
+++ b/cli/src/ui.rs
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ impl Write for UiStderr<'_> {
 }
 
 pub struct Ui {
+    debug: bool,
     color: bool,
     quiet: bool,
     pager_cmd: CommandNameAndArgs,
@@ -179,6 +180,7 @@ fn progress_indicator_setting(config: &config::Config) -> bool {
 pub enum ColorChoice {
     Always,
     Never,
+    Debug,
     #[default]
     Auto,
 }
@@ -190,6 +192,7 @@ impl FromStr for ColorChoice {
         match s {
             "always" => Ok(ColorChoice::Always),
             "never" => Ok(ColorChoice::Never),
+            "debug" => Ok(ColorChoice::Debug),
             "auto" => Ok(ColorChoice::Auto),
             _ => Err("must be one of always, never, or auto"),
         }
@@ -201,6 +204,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for ColorChoice {
         let s = match self {
             ColorChoice::Always => "always",
             ColorChoice::Never => "never",
+            ColorChoice::Debug => "debug",
             ColorChoice::Auto => "auto",
         };
         write!(f, "{s}")
@@ -215,10 +219,15 @@ fn color_setting(config: &config::Config) -> ColorChoice {
         .unwrap_or_default()
 }
 
+fn debug_color(choice: ColorChoice) -> bool {
+    matches!(choice, ColorChoice::Debug)
+}
+
 fn use_color(choice: ColorChoice) -> bool {
     match choice {
         ColorChoice::Always => true,
         ColorChoice::Never => false,
+        ColorChoice::Debug => true,
         ColorChoice::Auto => io::stdout().is_terminal(),
     }
 }
@@ -249,14 +258,17 @@ fn pager_setting(config: &config::Config) -> Result<CommandNameAndArgs, CommandE
 
 impl Ui {
     pub fn with_config(config: &config::Config) -> Result<Ui, CommandError> {
-        let color = use_color(color_setting(config));
+        let color = color_setting(config);
+        let debug = debug_color(color);
+        let color = use_color(color);
         let quiet = be_quiet(config);
         // Sanitize ANSI escape codes if we're printing to a terminal. Doesn't affect
         // ANSI escape codes that originate from the formatter itself.
         let sanitize = io::stdout().is_terminal();
-        let formatter_factory = FormatterFactory::prepare(config, color, sanitize)?;
+        let formatter_factory = FormatterFactory::prepare(config, debug, color, sanitize)?;
         let progress_indicator = progress_indicator_setting(config);
         Ok(Ui {
+            debug,
             color,
             quiet,
             formatter_factory,
@@ -268,13 +280,16 @@ impl Ui {
     }
 
     pub fn reset(&mut self, config: &config::Config) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
-        self.color = use_color(color_setting(config));
+        let color = color_setting(config);
+        self.debug = debug_color(color);
+        self.color = use_color(color);
         self.quiet = be_quiet(config);
         self.paginate = pagination_setting(config)?;
         self.pager_cmd = pager_setting(config)?;
         self.progress_indicator = progress_indicator_setting(config);
         let sanitize = io::stdout().is_terminal();
-        self.formatter_factory = FormatterFactory::prepare(config, self.color, sanitize)?;
+        self.formatter_factory =
+            FormatterFactory::prepare(config, self.debug, self.color, sanitize)?;
         Ok(())
     }
 
diff --git a/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap b/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap
index e97ae17665..e1e818a4c4 100644
--- a/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap
+++ b/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ To get started, see the tutorial at https://github.com/martinvonz/jj/blob/main/d
 
   Possible values: `true`, `false`
 
-* `--color <WHEN>` — When to colorize output (always, never, auto)
+* `--color <WHEN>` — When to colorize output (always, never, debug, auto)
 * `--quiet` — Silence non-primary command output
 
   Possible values: `true`, `false`
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_global_opts.rs b/cli/tests/test_global_opts.rs
index a0c145de54..b937ea3985 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_global_opts.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_global_opts.rs
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ fn test_help() {
           --ignore-immutable             Allow rewriting immutable commits
           --at-operation <AT_OPERATION>  Operation to load the repo at [default: @] [aliases: at-op]
           --debug                        Enable debug logging
-          --color <WHEN>                 When to colorize output (always, never, auto)
+          --color <WHEN>                 When to colorize output (always, never, debug, auto)
           --quiet                        Silence non-primary command output
           --no-pager                     Disable the pager
           --config-toml <TOML>           Additional configuration options (can be repeated)
diff --git a/docs/config.md b/docs/config.md
index ec27c07e3b..7674e7dd0e 100644
--- a/docs/config.md
+++ b/docs/config.md
@@ -80,8 +80,9 @@ Don't forget to change these to your own details!
 
 ### Colorizing output
 
-Possible values are `always`, `never` and `auto` (default: `auto`).
-`auto` will use color only when writing to a terminal.
+Possible values are `always`, `never`, `debug` and `auto` (default: `auto`).
+`auto` will use color only when writing to a terminal. `debug` will print the
+active labels alongside the regular colorized output.
 
 This setting overrides the `NO_COLOR` environment variable (if set).