Although a software developer writing software for a mobile device typically performs the development and some of the debugging of the application on a software development computer, the application also has to be debugged as it passes through the deactivate, terminate and reactivate states as it executes on the mobile device. To debug an application the developer can launch the debugger on the software development computer. The debugger can launch the application on the mobile device. If an event that terminates the application occurs, the debugger connection is terminated. In accordance with aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein, the debugger is automatically reattached to the restarted (activated) application. Reattaching the debugger automatically to the restarted application allows the developer to debug the mobile device application as an application passing through multiple states rather than debugging multiple instances of an application.