diff --git a/debugger.lua b/debugger.lua
index 8cf7e93..de84fe3 100644
--- a/debugger.lua
+++ b/debugger.lua
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ local debugger = {
   runner = runner, -- Set here as member to let runners extend this base class
   debugwindow = nil, ---@type JPDebugView
   debugrunner = nil, ---@type runner|nil
+  state = "idle",
 }
 
 function debugger.log(msg)
@@ -73,9 +74,18 @@ function debugger.is_running()
   return debugger.debugrunner~=nil
 end
 
+function debugger.on_state(state)
+  debugger.log(string.format("state %s -> %s", debugger.state, state))
+  debugger.state = state
+end
+
 function debugger.run(target, name, r, view)
   if debugger.debugrunner then
-    debugger.error("Already an active session")
+    if debugger.state == "paused" then
+      debugger.debugrunner:continue()
+    else
+      debugger.error("Already an active session")
+    end
     return
   end
   debugger.debugwindow = view
@@ -90,6 +100,11 @@ function debugger.run(target, name, r, view)
     on_stdout = debugger.on_stdout,
     on_stderr = debugger.on_stderr,
     on_exit = debugger.on_exit,
+    on_state = debugger.on_state,
+
+    on_break = function(file, line, reason)
+      debugger.log(string.format("breakpoint hit: %s:%d", file, line))
+    end,
   })
   -- And run
   debugger.debugrunner:run(target, name)
@@ -104,11 +119,13 @@ function debugger.stop()
     debugger.log(string.format("... Stoped with exit code %d", exitcode))
   end
   debugger.debugrunner = nil
+  debugger.on_state('idle')
 end
 
 function debugger.on_exit(exitcode)
   debugger.log(string.format("exit: %d", exitcode))
   debugger.debugrunner = nil
+  debugger.on_state('idle')
 end
 
 return debugger
diff --git a/runners/luadebug.lua b/runners/luadebug/init.lua
similarity index 74%
rename from runners/luadebug.lua
rename to runners/luadebug/init.lua
index 8a11454..f9003b1 100644
--- a/runners/luadebug.lua
+++ b/runners/luadebug/init.lua
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ local core = require "core"
 local process = require "process"
 local debugger = require "plugins.jpdebug.debugger"
 
+-- Enable hot reloading of mdb
+package.loaded["plugins.jpdebug.runners.luadebug.mdb"] = nil
+local mdb = require "plugins.jpdebug.runners.luadebug.mdb"
+
 ---@class luadebug: runner
 local luadebug = debugger.runner:new({
   name = "luadebug",
@@ -60,41 +64,6 @@ local function spawn_lua_process(entry, lua, cwd, env)
   return proc
 end
 
-local function spawn_mdb_process(lua)
-  local vendor_glob = join(get_plugin_root(), "vendor/?.lua")
-  local cmd = {}
-   if type(lua) == "table" then
-    for i=1, #lua do table.insert(cmd, lua[i]) end
-  else
-    table.insert(cmd, lua)
-  end
-  table.insert(cmd, "-e")
-  table.insert(cmd, string.format([[
-    package.path = %q .. ";" .. package.path
-    require("mobdebug").listen()
-  ]], vendor_glob))
-  local proc = process.start(cmd, {
-    stdout = process.REDIRECT_PIPE,
-    stderr = process.REDIRECT_PIPE,
-  })
-  return proc
-end
-
-function luadebug:mdb_pump()
-  while true do
-    core.redraw = true
-    coroutine.yield(0.016) -- 60FPS
-    local sout = self.mdb:read_stdout()
-    local serr = self.mdb:read_stderr()
-    if sout == nil and serr == nil then
-      -- mdb exited
-      break
-    end
-    if sout and sout~="" then self.on_stdout("mdb>"..sout) end
-    if serr and serr~="" then self.on_stdout("mdb> ERROR: "..serr) end
-  end
-end
-
 function luadebug:run(target, name)
   if target.entry == nil then
     self.error("target.entry is required for "..name)
@@ -106,11 +75,22 @@ function luadebug:run(target, name)
   local env = target.env or {}
 
   -- spwawn the mobdebug process
-  self.mdb = spawn_mdb_process(lua)
-  local dbg = self
-  core.add_thread(function()
-    luadebug.mdb_pump(dbg)
-  end)
+  self.mdb = mdb:new({
+    log = self.log,
+    error = self.error,
+
+    on_connected = function()
+      self.on_state('running')
+      self.mdb:setb('test.lua', 6)
+      self.mdb:run()
+    end,
+    on_pause = function(file, line)
+      self.on_state('paused')
+      self.on_break(file, line, "breakpoint") 
+    end,
+
+  })
+  self.mdb:spawn(lua, get_plugin_root())
 
   -- spawn the main lua process
   local proc = spawn_lua_process(entry, lua, cwd, env)
@@ -120,6 +100,8 @@ function luadebug:run(target, name)
   end
   self.proc = proc
 
+  self.on_state('connecting')
+
     -- output pump
   core.add_thread(function()
     while true do
@@ -138,6 +120,11 @@ function luadebug:run(target, name)
   end)
 end
 
+function luadebug:continue()
+  if not self.proc then return end
+  self.mdb:run()
+end
+
 function luadebug:wait(time)
   if not self.proc then return end
   return self.proc:wait(time)
@@ -156,11 +143,7 @@ function luadebug:read_stderr()
 end
 
 function luadebug:kill()
-  if self.mdb then
-    -- Execute ctrl-C twice to exit mobdebug
-    self.mdb:kill()
-    self.mdb:kill()
-  end
+  if self.mdb then self.mdb:kill() end
   if not self.proc then return end
   self.proc:kill()
 end
diff --git a/runners/luadebug/mdb.lua b/runners/luadebug/mdb.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c02f40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runners/luadebug/mdb.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+local core = require "core"
+local process = require "process"
+
+-- tiny helpers
+local function join(a, b) return (a:sub(-1) == "/" and a or (a .. "/")) .. b end
+
+---@class mdb
+local mdb = {
+  proc = nil, ---@type process|nil
+  state = 'idle',
+}
+
+---@meta
+function mdb.log(msg) end
+---@meta
+function mdb.error(msg) end
+---@meta
+function mdb.on_connected() end
+---@meta
+function mdb.on_pause(file, line) end
+
+function mdb:new(o)
+  o = o or {}
+  setmetatable(o, self)
+  self.__index = self
+  return o
+end
+
+function mdb:set_state(newstate)
+  self.state = newstate
+end
+
+function mdb:parse_line(line)
+  self.log('mdb> '..line)
+  local words = {}
+  for w in line:gmatch("%w+") do table.insert(words, w) end
+
+  if words[1] == 'Paused' then
+    -- Breakpoint hit
+    if #words ~= 7 then return end
+    local file = words[4]
+    local linenr = tonumber(words[7])
+    self:set_state("paused")
+    core.add_thread(function() self.on_pause(file, linenr) end)
+  elseif words[1] == "Type" then
+    -- mobdebug started
+    self:set_state("paused")
+    core.add_thread(function() self.on_connected() end)
+  end
+end
+
+function mdb:spawn(lua, root)
+  local vendor_glob = join(root, "vendor/?.lua")
+
+  local cmd = {}
+   if type(lua) == "table" then
+    for i=1, #lua do table.insert(cmd, lua[i]) end
+  else
+    table.insert(cmd, lua)
+  end
+  table.insert(cmd, "-e")
+  table.insert(cmd, string.format([[
+    package.path = %q .. ";" .. package.path
+    require("mobdebug").listen()
+  ]], vendor_glob))
+
+  self:set_state('spawning')
+
+  local proc = process.start(cmd, {
+    stdout = process.REDIRECT_PIPE,
+    stderr = process.REDIRECT_PIPE,
+  })
+  self.proc = proc
+
+  self:set_state('connecting')
+
+  core.add_thread(function()
+      while true do
+        core.redraw = true
+        coroutine.yield(0.016) -- 60FPS
+        local sout = self.proc:read_stdout()
+        local serr = self.proc:read_stderr()
+        if sout == nil and serr == nil then
+          -- mdb exited
+          break
+        end
+        if sout and sout~="" then
+          for l in string.gmatch(sout, "([^\n]+)") do
+            self:parse_line(l)
+          end
+        end
+      end
+  end)
+end
+
+function mdb:cmd(c)
+  -- commands are only possible when mdb is paused
+  if self.state == "paused" then
+    self.log('>>>'..c)
+    self.proc:write(c..'\n')
+  else
+    self.error('mdb not paused')
+  end
+end
+
+function mdb:run()
+  self:cmd("run")
+end
+
+function mdb:setb(file, line)
+  self:cmd(string.format("setb %s %d", file, line))
+end
+
+function mdb:kill()
+  self.proc:kill()
+  self.proc:kill()
+end
+
+return mdb
+
diff --git a/runners/shell.lua b/runners/shell.lua
index 1be232f..12d9ab9 100644
--- a/runners/shell.lua
+++ b/runners/shell.lua
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ function shell:run(target, name)
     self.error(string.format("command not specified for target %s", name))
   end
 
+  self.on_state('running')
+
   -- output pump
   core.add_thread(function()
     while true do