Systems and methods may provide for a debug tool including a debug port and a controller including logic to send, via the debug port, a debug mode request to an external port of a target device. Additionally, the target device may include a connector having the external port and a port controller coupled to the external port, wherein the port controller includes logic to detect the debug mode request via the external port, activate a program path between the external port and the port controller in response to the debug mode request, and process one or more commands received via the program path. In one example, the target device further includes a multiplexer coupled to the external port and the port controller, wherein the logic is to send a routing signal to the multiplexer to activate the program path.