diff --git a/docs-template/EXAMPLE_README.md.tpl b/docs-template/EXAMPLE_README.md.tpl
index a5438464b3..9cde78c3b9 100644
--- a/docs-template/EXAMPLE_README.md.tpl
+++ b/docs-template/EXAMPLE_README.md.tpl
@@ -269,6 +269,7 @@ Bevy has a helper to build its examples:
 
 - Build for WebGL2: `cargo run -p build-wasm-example -- --api webgl2 load_gltf`
 - Build for WebGPU: `cargo run -p build-wasm-example -- --api webgpu load_gltf`
+- Debug: `cargo run -p build-wasm-example -- --debug --api webgl2 load_gltf`
 
 This helper will log the command used to build the examples.
 
diff --git a/examples/README.md b/examples/README.md
index a4ff3474dd..377d8ecc0a 100644
--- a/examples/README.md
+++ b/examples/README.md
@@ -782,6 +782,7 @@ Bevy has a helper to build its examples:
 
 - Build for WebGL2: `cargo run -p build-wasm-example -- --api webgl2 load_gltf`
 - Build for WebGPU: `cargo run -p build-wasm-example -- --api webgpu load_gltf`
+- Debug: `cargo run -p build-wasm-example -- --debug --api webgl2 load_gltf`
 
 This helper will log the command used to build the examples.
 
diff --git a/tools/build-wasm-example/src/main.rs b/tools/build-wasm-example/src/main.rs
index 1162aaece7..25c0b07152 100644
--- a/tools/build-wasm-example/src/main.rs
+++ b/tools/build-wasm-example/src/main.rs
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ struct Args {
     #[arg(long)]
     /// Additional features to enable
     features: Vec<String>,
+
+    #[arg(long)]
+    /// Build the example in debug mode instead of release
+    debug: bool,
 }
 
 fn main() {
@@ -73,15 +77,23 @@ fn main() {
             parameters.push("--features");
             parameters.push(&features_string);
         }
+
+        let profile = if cli.debug {
+            "debug"
+        } else {
+            parameters.push("--release");
+            "release"
+        };
+
         let cmd = cmd!(
             sh,
-            "cargo build {parameters...} --profile release --target wasm32-unknown-unknown --example {example}"
+            "cargo build {parameters...} --target wasm32-unknown-unknown --example {example}"
         );
         cmd.run().expect("Error building example");
 
         cmd!(
             sh,
-            "wasm-bindgen --out-dir examples/wasm/target --out-name wasm_example --target web target/wasm32-unknown-unknown/release/examples/{example}.wasm"
+            "wasm-bindgen --out-dir examples/wasm/target --out-name wasm_example --target web target/wasm32-unknown-unknown/{profile}/examples/{example}.wasm"
         )
         .run()
         .expect("Error creating wasm binding");