diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
index f8dd0b2fcb..229687157f 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
@@ -90,4 +90,6 @@ ifneq (,$(filter esp_jtag,$(USEMODULE)))
   IMAGE_OFFSET = 0x10000
   # Flash checksumming not supported on xtensa
   OPENOCD_SKIP_VERIFY = yes
+  # Without resets debug target fails with 'Target not examined yet'
+  OPENOCD_DBG_EXTRA_CMD += -c 'reset halt'
 endif
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/openocd.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/openocd.inc.mk
index 2f23225e03..14c7cc1c60 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/openocd.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/openocd.inc.mk
@@ -49,7 +49,14 @@ ifneq (,$(OPENOCD_CMD_RESET_RUN))
   $(call target-export-variables,reset,OPENOCD_CMD_RESET_RUN)
 endif
 
-OPENOCD_FLASH_TARGETS = flash flash-only
+OPENOCD_DEBUG_TARGETS = debug debugr debug-server
+
+ifneq (,$(OPENOCD_DBG_EXTRA_CMD))
+  # Export OPENOCD_DBG_EXTRA_CMD only to the flash/flash-only target
+  $(call target-export-variables,$(OPENOCD_DEBUG_TARGETS),OPENOCD_DBG_EXTRA_CMD)
+endif
+
+OPENOCD_FLASH_TARGETS = flash flash-only flashr
 
 ifneq (,$(IMAGE_OFFSET))
   # Export IMAGE_OFFSET only to the flash/flash-only target