diff --git a/client/gulpfile.js b/client/gulpfile.js
index c7139b52cbfa..06eebf5605a2 100644
--- a/client/gulpfile.js
+++ b/client/gulpfile.js
@@ -44,16 +44,20 @@ var dev_mode = function(){
     return process.env.NODE_ENV != "production";
 };
 
+var source_maps = function(){
+    return dev_mode() || process.env.GXY_BUILD_SOURCEMAPS !== undefined;
+};
+
 gulp.task('scripts', function() {
   return gulp.src(paths.scripts)
     .pipe(plumber())
     .pipe(cached('scripts'))
-    .pipe(gulpif(dev_mode, sourcemaps.init()))
+    .pipe(gulpif(source_maps, sourcemaps.init()))
     .pipe(babel({
         plugins: ['transform-es2015-modules-amd']
     }))
     .pipe(gulpif(dev_mode, beautify(), uglify()))
-    .pipe(gulpif(dev_mode, sourcemaps.write('../maps/')))
+    .pipe(gulpif(source_maps, sourcemaps.write('../maps/')))
     .pipe(gulp.dest('../static/scripts/'));
 });
 
diff --git a/client/package.json b/client/package.json
index 1650010fdcd4..4a8e3216c07c 100644
--- a/client/package.json
+++ b/client/package.json
@@ -32,14 +32,17 @@
     "watch": "gulp stage-libs && concurrently \"yarn run webpack-watch\" \"yarn run gulp watch\" \"yarn run style-watch\"",
     "build": "NODE_ENV=development gulp stage-libs && concurrently \"yarn run style\" \"yarn run webpack\" \"yarn run gulp clean && yarn run gulp\"",
     "build-production": "NODE_ENV=production gulp stage-libs && concurrently \"yarn run style\" \"yarn run webpack-production\" \"yarn run gulp clean && yarn run gulp-production\"",
+    "build-production-maps": "NODE_ENV=production gulp stage-libs && concurrently \"yarn run style\" \"yarn run webpack-production-maps\" \"yarn run gulp clean && yarn run gulp-production-maps\"",
     "webpack": "webpack -d",
     "webpack-watch": "webpack -d --watch",
     "webpack-production": "webpack -p",
+    "webpack-production-maps": "GXY_BUILD_SOURCEMAPS=1 webpack -p",
     "style": "grunt style",
     "style-watch": "grunt watch-style",
     "test": "karma start --verbose --single-run --no-auto-watch karma.config.js",
     "gulp": "gulp",
     "gulp-production": "NODE_ENV=production gulp",
+    "gulp-production-maps": "GXY_BUILD_SOURCEMAPS=1 NODE_ENV=production gulp",
     "build-toolshed": "grunt --app=toolshed",
     "jshint": "jshint --exclude='galaxy/scripts/libs/**' galaxy/scripts/**/*.js",
     "build-charts": "webpack -p --config ../config/plugins/visualizations/charts/webpack.config.js",
diff --git a/client/webpack.config.js b/client/webpack.config.js
index dfdb350dac2f..6e77cb7386bd 100644
--- a/client/webpack.config.js
+++ b/client/webpack.config.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ var commonLibs = [
     "onload"
 ];
 
-module.exports = {
+let buildconfig = {
     entry: {
         libs: commonLibs,
         login: "./galaxy/scripts/apps/login.js",
@@ -118,3 +118,9 @@ module.exports = {
         // new webpack.optimize.LimitChunkCountPlugin({ maxChunks: 1 })
     ]
 };
+
+if (process.env.GXY_BUILD_SOURCEMAPS){
+    buildconfig.devtool = 'source-map';
+}
+
+module.exports = buildconfig;