diff --git a/.vscode/launch.json b/.vscode/launch.json
index 0cc9b256ca..9ed2bb77b8 100644
--- a/.vscode/launch.json
+++ b/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -18,6 +18,20 @@
       "name": "Immich Workers",
       "remoteRoot": "/usr/src/app/server",
       "localRoot": "${workspaceFolder}/server"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "node",
+      "request": "launch",
+      "name": "Immich CLI",
+      "program": "${workspaceFolder}/cli/dist/index.js",
+      "args": ["upload", "--help"],
+      "runtimeArgs": ["--enable-source-maps"],
+      "console": "integratedTerminal",
+      "resolveSourceMapLocations": ["${workspaceFolder}/cli/dist/**/*.js.map"],
+      "sourceMaps": true,
+      "outFiles": ["${workspaceFolder}/cli/dist/**/*.js"],
+      "skipFiles": ["<node_internals>/**"],
+      "preLaunchTask": "Build Immich CLI"
     }
   ]
 }
diff --git a/.vscode/tasks.json b/.vscode/tasks.json
index 278e7e4fd3..478a46b4bd 100644
--- a/.vscode/tasks.json
+++ b/.vscode/tasks.json
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@
         "runOn": "folderOpen"
       },
       "problemMatcher": []
+    },
+    {
+      "label": "Build Immich CLI",
+      "type": "shell",
+      "command": "pnpm --filter cli build:dev"
     }
   ]
 }
diff --git a/cli/README.md b/cli/README.md
index 09f5b163f7..b9d61fce09 100644
--- a/cli/README.md
+++ b/cli/README.md
@@ -13,15 +13,23 @@ Then, to build the open-api client run the following in the open-api folder:
 
     $ ./bin/generate-open-api.sh
 
-To run the Immich CLI from source, run the following in the cli folder:
+## Run from build
+
+Go to the cli folder and build it:
 
     $ pnpm install
     $ pnpm run build
-    $ ts-node .
+    $ node dist/index.js
 
-You'll need ts-node, the easiest way to install it is to use pnpm:
+## Run and Debug from source (VSCode)
 
-    $ pnpm i -g ts-node
+With VScode you can run and debug the Immich CLI. Go to the launch.json file, find the Immich CLI config and change this with the command you need to debug
+
+`"args": ["upload", "--help"],`
+
+replace that for the command of your choice.
+
+## Install from build
 
 You can also build and install the CLI using
 
diff --git a/cli/package.json b/cli/package.json
index dfd2cc3610..3fff0c1031 100644
--- a/cli/package.json
+++ b/cli/package.json
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
   },
   "scripts": {
     "build": "vite build",
+    "build:dev": "vite build --sourcemap true",
     "lint": "eslint \"src/**/*.ts\" --max-warnings 0",
     "lint:fix": "npm run lint -- --fix",
     "prepack": "npm run build",