diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.include b/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.include
index 074dd7fb3a..89d53d2c09 100644
--- a/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.include
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ export LINKFLAGS += -g3 -ggdb -std=gnu99 $(CPU_USAGE) $(FPU_USAGE) -mlittle-endi
 export LINKFLAGS += -T$(LINKERSCRIPT)
 export OFLAGS += -O binary
 export FFLAGS += $(HEXFILE)
+export DEBUGGER_FLAGS = $(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/dist/gdb.conf $(ELFFILE)
 export TERMFLAGS += "$(PORT)"
 
 # unwanted (CXXUWFLAGS) and extra (CXXEXFLAGS) flags for c++
diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/debug.sh b/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/debug.sh
index 2e424babfb..5b0fad1f71 100755
--- a/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/debug.sh
+++ b/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/debug.sh
@@ -5,4 +5,15 @@ openocd -f "board/atmel_samr21_xplained_pro.cfg" \
     -c "telnet_port 4444" \
     -c "init" \
     -c "targets" \
-    -c "reset halt"
+    -c "reset halt" \
+    -l /dev/null &
+
+# save pid to terminate afterwards
+OCD_PID=$?
+
+# needed for openocd to set up
+sleep 5
+
+arm-none-eabi-gdb -tui --command=${1} ${2}
+
+kill ${OCD_PID}
diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/gdb.conf b/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/gdb.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8a693c6a03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/gdb.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+target remote localhost:3333
+monitor reset halt