diff --git a/arduino-debugger-extension/src/node/arduino-debug-adapter-contribution.ts b/arduino-debugger-extension/src/node/arduino-debug-adapter-contribution.ts
index 6176a507..9f6ee487 100644
--- a/arduino-debugger-extension/src/node/arduino-debug-adapter-contribution.ts
+++ b/arduino-debugger-extension/src/node/arduino-debug-adapter-contribution.ts
@@ -23,16 +23,11 @@ export class ArduinoDebugAdapterContribution implements DebugAdapterContribution
                         'description': 'path to the sketch root ino file',
                         'default': '${file}',
                     },
-                    'runToMain': {
-                        'description': 'If enabled the debugger will run until the start of the main function.',
+                    'pauseAtMain': {
+                        'description': 'If enabled the debugger will pause at the start of the main function.',
                         'type': 'boolean',
                         'default': false
                     },
-                    'verbose': {
-                        'type': 'boolean',
-                        'description': 'Produce verbose log output',
-                        'default': false
-                    },
                     'debugDebugAdapter': {
                         'type': 'boolean',
                         'description': 'Start the debug adapter in debug mode (with --inspect-brk)',
@@ -68,11 +63,15 @@ export class ArduinoDebugAdapterContribution implements DebugAdapterContribution
     }
 
     async resolveDebugConfiguration(config: DebugConfiguration): Promise<DebugConfiguration> {
+        const startFunction = config.pauseAtMain ? 'main' : 'setup';
         const res: ActualDebugConfig = {
             ...config,
             arduinoCli: await this.arduinoCli.getExecPath(),
             fqbn: '${fqbn}',
-            uploadPort: '${port}'
+            uploadPort: '${port}',
+            initCommands: [
+                `-break-insert -t --function ${startFunction}`
+            ]
         }
         if (!res.sketch) {
             res.sketch = '${file}';
diff --git a/arduino-debugger-extension/src/node/debug-adapter/arduino-debug-session.ts b/arduino-debugger-extension/src/node/debug-adapter/arduino-debug-session.ts
index c53246fa..7c305bdc 100644
--- a/arduino-debugger-extension/src/node/debug-adapter/arduino-debug-session.ts
+++ b/arduino-debugger-extension/src/node/debug-adapter/arduino-debug-session.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
+import * as mi from 'cdt-gdb-adapter/dist/mi';
 import { DebugProtocol } from 'vscode-debugprotocol';
-import { GDBDebugSession } from 'cdt-gdb-adapter/dist/GDBDebugSession';
+import { GDBDebugSession, LaunchRequestArguments } from 'cdt-gdb-adapter/dist/GDBDebugSession';
 import { GDBBackend } from 'cdt-gdb-adapter/dist/GDBBackend';
 import { ArduinoGDBBackend } from './arduino-gdb-backend';
 
@@ -16,4 +17,25 @@ export class ArduinoDebugSession extends GDBDebugSession {
         return new ArduinoGDBBackend();
     }
 
+    protected launchRequest(response: DebugProtocol.LaunchResponse, args: LaunchRequestArguments): Promise<void> {
+        const additionalCommands = [
+            '-interpreter-exec console "monitor reset halt"'
+        ];
+        if (!args.initCommands) {
+            args.initCommands = additionalCommands;
+        } else {
+            args.initCommands.push(...additionalCommands);
+        }
+        return super.launchRequest(response, args);
+    }
+
+    protected async configurationDoneRequest(response: DebugProtocol.ConfigurationDoneResponse): Promise<void> {
+        try {
+            await mi.sendExecContinue(this.gdb);
+            this.sendResponse(response);
+        } catch (err) {
+            this.sendErrorResponse(response, 100, err.message);
+        }
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/arduino-debugger-extension/src/node/debug-adapter/arduino-gdb-backend.ts b/arduino-debugger-extension/src/node/debug-adapter/arduino-gdb-backend.ts
index 800472ce..7af3c61a 100644
--- a/arduino-debugger-extension/src/node/debug-adapter/arduino-gdb-backend.ts
+++ b/arduino-debugger-extension/src/node/debug-adapter/arduino-gdb-backend.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 import * as path from 'path';
 import * as fs from 'arduino-ide-extension/lib/node/fs-extra'
-import * as mi from './mi';
 import { spawn } from 'child_process';
 import { GDBBackend } from 'cdt-gdb-adapter/dist/GDBBackend';
 import { ArduinoLaunchRequestArguments } from './arduino-debug-session';
 
 export class ArduinoGDBBackend extends GDBBackend {
 
-    public spawn(requestArgs: ArduinoLaunchRequestArguments) {
+    public spawn(requestArgs: ArduinoLaunchRequestArguments): Promise<void> {
         if (!requestArgs.sketch) {
             throw new Error('Missing argument: sketch');
         }
@@ -29,8 +28,13 @@ export class ArduinoGDBBackend extends GDBBackend {
         return this.parser.parse(proc.stdout);
     }
 
-    public pause() {
-        mi.sendExecInterrupt(this);
+    public sendFileExecAndSymbols(): Promise<void> {
+        // The program file is already sent by `arduino-cli`
+        return Promise.resolve();
+    }
+
+    public pause(): boolean {
+        this.sendCommand('-exec-interrupt');
         return true;
     }