diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 327a4709..5aa14f91 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1050,6 +1050,7 @@ checksum = "53eafabcce0cb2325a59a98736efe0bf060585b437763f8c476957fb274bb974"
 dependencies = [
  "accesskit",
  "ahash",
+ "backtrace",
  "emath",
  "epaint",
  "log",
diff --git a/crates/notedeck_chrome/Cargo.toml b/crates/notedeck_chrome/Cargo.toml
index ff2c05fb..39882b98 100644
--- a/crates/notedeck_chrome/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/notedeck_chrome/Cargo.toml
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ path = "src/preview.rs"
 [features]
 default = []
 profiling = ["notedeck_columns/puffin", "puffin", "puffin_egui"]
+debug-widget-callstack = ["egui/callstack"]
+debug-interactive-widgets = []
 
 [target.'cfg(target_os = "android")'.dependencies]
 android_logger = "0.11.1"
diff --git a/crates/notedeck_chrome/src/theme.rs b/crates/notedeck_chrome/src/theme.rs
index c20da79b..1ec31309 100644
--- a/crates/notedeck_chrome/src/theme.rs
+++ b/crates/notedeck_chrome/src/theme.rs
@@ -124,9 +124,26 @@ pub fn add_custom_style(is_mobile: bool, style: &mut Style) {
         ..Interaction::default()
     };
 
-    #[cfg(debug_assertions)]
+    // debug: show callstack for the current widget on hover if all
+    // modifier keys are pressed down.
+    #[cfg(feature = "debug-widget-callstack")]
     {
-        style.debug.show_interactive_widgets = true;
+        #[cfg(not(debug_assertions))]
+        compile_error!(
+            "The `debug-widget-callstack` feature requires a debug build, \
+             release builds are unsupported."
+        );
         style.debug.debug_on_hover_with_all_modifiers = true;
     }
+
+    // debug: show an overlay on all interactive widgets
+    #[cfg(feature = "debug-interactive-widgets")]
+    {
+        #[cfg(not(debug_assertions))]
+        compile_error!(
+            "The `debug-interactive-widgets` feature requires a debug build, \
+             release builds are unsupported."
+        );
+        style.debug.show_interactive_widgets = true;
+    }
 }