diff --git a/src/BaselineOfNewTools/BaselineOfNewTools.class.st b/src/BaselineOfNewTools/BaselineOfNewTools.class.st
index 844b6cf4..49bcb8cf 100644
--- a/src/BaselineOfNewTools/BaselineOfNewTools.class.st
+++ b/src/BaselineOfNewTools/BaselineOfNewTools.class.st
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ BaselineOfNewTools >> baseline: spec [
 			package: 'NewTools-Debugger' with: [ spec requires: #( 'NewTools-Inspector' 'NewTools-Debugger-Commands' 'NewTools-Debugger-Extensions' 'NewTools-SpTextPresenterDecorators' ) ];
 			package: 'NewTools-Debugger-Commands';
 			package: 'NewTools-Debugger-Extensions';
+			package: 'NewTools-Debugger-Morphic';
 			package: 'NewTools-Debugger-Tests' with: [ spec requires: #( 'NewTools-Debugger' ) ];
 			"playground"
 			package: 'NewTools-Playground' with: [ spec requires: #( 'NewTools-Inspector' ) ];
@@ -116,8 +117,11 @@ BaselineOfNewTools >> baseline: spec [
 					 	'NewTools-Debugger-Commands'
 				    	'NewTools-Debugger-Extensions' 
 					 	'NewTools-Debugger'
-				    	'NewTools-ObjectCentricBreakpoints'
-				    	'NewTools-Sindarin-Tools' 
+
+						'NewTools-Debugger-Morphic'
+				    		'NewTools-ObjectCentricBreakpoints'
+				    		'NewTools-Sindarin-Tools' 
+
 					 	'NewTools-Sindarin-Commands'
 				    	'NewTools-Sindarin-Commands-Tests'
 				    	'NewTools-Debugger-Breakpoints-Tools'
diff --git a/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/SpMorphicBackend.extension.st b/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/SpMorphicBackend.extension.st
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5b038c57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/SpMorphicBackend.extension.st
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+Extension { #name : 'SpMorphicBackend' }
+
+{ #category : '*NewTools-Debugger-Morphic' }
+SpMorphicBackend >> spawnNewDebugSessionForSpecBackend: aDebugSession [
+
+	^ (StMorphicDebugSession newFromSession: aDebugSession)
+		  backend: self;
+		  yourself 
+]
diff --git a/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/StMorphicDebugSession.class.st b/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/StMorphicDebugSession.class.st
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..70b82c72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/StMorphicDebugSession.class.st
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+"
+I specialize a debug session for Morphic backends used by spec tools
+"
+Class {
+	#name : 'StMorphicDebugSession',
+	#superclass : 'DebugSession',
+	#instVars : [
+		'errorWasInUIProcess',
+		'backend'
+	],
+	#category : 'NewTools-Debugger-Morphic',
+	#package : 'NewTools-Debugger-Morphic'
+}
+
+{ #category : 'instance creation' }
+StMorphicDebugSession class >> newFromSession: aDebugSession [
+
+	^ (self
+		   named: aDebugSession name
+		   on: aDebugSession interruptedProcess
+		   startedAt: aDebugSession interruptedContext)
+		  exception: aDebugSession exception;
+		  detectUIProcess;
+		  spawnNewUIProcessIfNecessary;
+		  yourself
+]
+
+{ #category : 'accessing' }
+StMorphicDebugSession >> backend: aSpMorphicBackend [
+
+	backend := aSpMorphicBackend
+]
+
+{ #category : 'debugging actions' }
+StMorphicDebugSession >> deferDebuggerOpeningToBackend: aStDebugger [
+
+	backend defer: [ aStDebugger openWithFullView ]
+]
+
+{ #category : 'process' }
+StMorphicDebugSession >> detectUIProcess [
+
+	errorWasInUIProcess := MorphicUIManager uiProcess
+	                       == interruptedProcess
+]
+
+{ #category : 'accessing' }
+StMorphicDebugSession >> errorWasInUIProcess [
+
+	^ errorWasInUIProcess
+]
+
+{ #category : 'accessing' }
+StMorphicDebugSession >> errorWasInUIProcess: aBoolean [
+
+	errorWasInUIProcess := aBoolean
+]
+
+{ #category : 'private' }
+StMorphicDebugSession >> resumeInterruptedProcess [
+
+	errorWasInUIProcess ifFalse: [ ^ super resumeInterruptedProcess ].
+	MorphicUIManager default resumeUIProcess: interruptedProcess
+]
+
+{ #category : 'process' }
+StMorphicDebugSession >> spawnNewUIProcess [
+
+	DefaultExecutionEnvironment beActiveDuring: [
+		MorphicUIManager default spawnNewProcess ]
+]
+
+{ #category : 'process' }
+StMorphicDebugSession >> spawnNewUIProcessIfNecessary [
+	"If we're about to debug the UI process, we must create a new UI process to take its place. Because the debugged process will be suspended at some point, and suspending the UI process means freezing the UI of the image"
+
+	errorWasInUIProcess ifTrue: [ self spawnNewUIProcess ]
+]
+
+{ #category : 'debugging actions' }
+StMorphicDebugSession >> terminate [
+
+	self interruptedProcess ifNotNil: [ ^ super terminate ].
+	
+	"Assume the interrupted process was resumed." 
+	"Kill the active process if the error was in the UI as there should be only one UI process."
+	self errorWasInUIProcess ifTrue: [ Processor terminateActive ]
+]
diff --git a/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/StMorphicDebugSessionForTests.class.st b/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/StMorphicDebugSessionForTests.class.st
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e92b9271
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/StMorphicDebugSessionForTests.class.st
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+"
+This morphic debug session just redefines methods to be used in tests to avoid spawning new ui processes for real
+"
+Class {
+	#name : 'StMorphicDebugSessionForTests',
+	#superclass : 'StMorphicDebugSession',
+	#instVars : [
+		'newUIProcessSpawned'
+	],
+	#category : 'NewTools-Debugger-Morphic',
+	#package : 'NewTools-Debugger-Morphic'
+}
+
+{ #category : 'process' }
+StMorphicDebugSessionForTests >> newUIProcessSpawned [
+
+	newUIProcessSpawned ifNil: [ newUIProcessSpawned := false ].
+	^ newUIProcessSpawned
+]
+
+{ #category : 'process' }
+StMorphicDebugSessionForTests >> spawnNewUIProcessIfNecessary [
+	"we just want to avoid spawning UI processes, while ensuring that we actually called the ui process spawning logic "
+
+	newUIProcessSpawned := errorWasInUIProcess
+]
diff --git a/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/StMorphicDebugSessionTest.class.st b/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/StMorphicDebugSessionTest.class.st
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a6064e4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/StMorphicDebugSessionTest.class.st
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+Class {
+	#name : 'StMorphicDebugSessionTest',
+	#superclass : 'TestCase',
+	#category : 'NewTools-Debugger-Morphic',
+	#package : 'NewTools-Debugger-Morphic'
+}
+
+{ #category : 'utilities' }
+StMorphicDebugSessionTest >> createDebugSessionForNotUIProcess [
+
+	| exception nonUIProcess request |
+	nonUIProcess := [ 1 + 1 ] newProcess.
+	[ Exception signal ]
+		on: Exception
+		do: [ :e | exception := e ].
+	request := (OupsDummyDebugRequest newForException: exception)
+		           process: nonUIProcess;
+		           yourself.
+	^ StMorphicDebugSessionForTests newFromSession: request debugSession 
+]
+
+{ #category : 'utilities' }
+StMorphicDebugSessionTest >> createDebugSessionForUIProcess [
+
+	| exception request |
+	[ Exception signal ]
+		on: Exception
+		do: [ :e | exception := e ].
+	request := (OupsDummyDebugRequest newForException: exception)
+		           process: MorphicUIManager uiProcess;
+		           yourself.
+	^ StMorphicDebugSessionForTests newFromSession: request debugSession
+]
+
+{ #category : 'utilities' }
+StMorphicDebugSessionTest >> testNonUIProcessIsRecognised [
+	"Tests that a DebuggerSystem opening a DebugRequest that is NOT on the ui process does NOT spawn a new UI process"
+
+	| morphicDebugSession |
+	morphicDebugSession := self createDebugSessionForNotUIProcess.
+	self deny: morphicDebugSession errorWasInUIProcess.
+	self deny: morphicDebugSession newUIProcessSpawned
+]
+
+{ #category : 'tests' }
+StMorphicDebugSessionTest >> testUIProcessIsRecognised [
+	"Test that a DebuggerSystem opening a DebugRequest on the ui process will spawn a new UI process"
+
+	| morphicDebugSession |
+	morphicDebugSession := self createDebugSessionForUIProcess.
+	self assert: morphicDebugSession errorWasInUIProcess.
+	self assert: morphicDebugSession newUIProcessSpawned
+]
diff --git a/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/package.st b/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/package.st
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..38e27891
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/NewTools-Debugger-Morphic/package.st
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Package { #name : 'NewTools-Debugger-Morphic' }
diff --git a/src/NewTools-Debugger/DebugSession.extension.st b/src/NewTools-Debugger/DebugSession.extension.st
index 12079682..ac2099af 100644
--- a/src/NewTools-Debugger/DebugSession.extension.st
+++ b/src/NewTools-Debugger/DebugSession.extension.st
@@ -8,15 +8,5 @@ DebugSession >> application [
 
 { #category : '*NewTools-Debugger' }
 DebugSession >> application: anApplication [
-]
-
-{ #category : '*NewTools-Debugger' }
-DebugSession >> spanNewSession [
 
-	^ (self class 
-		named: self name 
-		on: self interruptedProcess 
-		startedAt: self interruptedContext)
-			errorWasInUIProcess: self errorWasInUIProcess;
-			yourself
 ]
diff --git a/src/NewTools-Debugger/SpApplicationBackend.extension.st b/src/NewTools-Debugger/SpApplicationBackend.extension.st
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a0a6da95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/NewTools-Debugger/SpApplicationBackend.extension.st
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Extension { #name : 'SpApplicationBackend' }
+
+{ #category : '*NewTools-Debugger' }
+SpApplicationBackend >> spawnNewDebugSessionForSpecBackend: aDebugSession [
+
+	^ aDebugSession
+]
diff --git a/src/NewTools-Debugger/StDebugger.class.st b/src/NewTools-Debugger/StDebugger.class.st
index 1431703d..a3fdc6cb 100644
--- a/src/NewTools-Debugger/StDebugger.class.st
+++ b/src/NewTools-Debugger/StDebugger.class.st
@@ -139,13 +139,18 @@ StDebugger class >> configureLayout: aSymbol [
 { #category : 'instance creation' }
 StDebugger class >> debugSession: aDebugSession [
 
-	| debugger debugActionModel |
-	debugActionModel := StDebuggerActionModel on: aDebugSession.
-	debugger := self on: aDebugSession.
-	aDebugSession application ifNotNil: [ :app | 
+	| applicationDebugSession debugger debugActionModel |
+
+	applicationDebugSession := self currentApplication backend
+		                           spawnNewDebugSessionForSpecBackend: aDebugSession.	
+
+	debugActionModel := StDebuggerActionModel on: applicationDebugSession.
+	debugger := self on: applicationDebugSession.
+	aDebugSession application ifNotNil: [ :app |
 		debugger application: app ].
-	debugger openWithFullView.
 
+	applicationDebugSession deferDebuggerOpeningToBackend: debugger.
+	
 	^ debugger
 ]