diff --git a/tractor/__init__.py b/tractor/__init__.py
index c653ec0..149d4d2 100644
--- a/tractor/__init__.py
+++ b/tractor/__init__.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ from ._exceptions import (
     ModuleNotExposed,
     ContextCancelled,
 )
-from ._debug import (
+from .devx import (
     breakpoint,
     pause,
     pause_from_sync,
diff --git a/tractor/_context.py b/tractor/_context.py
index 054f783..e35188c 100644
--- a/tractor/_context.py
+++ b/tractor/_context.py
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ class Context:
             )
 
             if self._cancel_called:
-                # from ._debug import breakpoint
+                # from .devx._debug import breakpoint
                 # await breakpoint()
 
                 # this is an expected cancel request response message
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ class Context:
             self._scope.cancel()
 
             # NOTE: this usage actually works here B)
-            # from ._debug import breakpoint
+            # from .devx._debug import breakpoint
             # await breakpoint()
 
         # XXX: this will break early callee results sending
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ class Context:
         log.cancel(f'Cancelling {side} side of context to {self.chan.uid}')
 
         self._cancel_called = True
-        # await _debug.breakpoint()
+        # await devx._debug.breakpoint()
         # breakpoint()
 
         if side == 'caller':
diff --git a/tractor/_portal.py b/tractor/_portal.py
index 53684b4..9016eda 100644
--- a/tractor/_portal.py
+++ b/tractor/_portal.py
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ class Portal:
             # were initiated by *this* side's task.
             if not ctx._cancel_called:
                 # XXX: this should NEVER happen!
-                # from ._debug import breakpoint
+                # from .devx._debug import breakpoint
                 # await breakpoint()
                 raise
 
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ class Portal:
             # a "stop" msg for a stream), this can result in a deadlock
             # where the root is waiting on the lock to clear but the
             # child has already cleared it and clobbered IPC.
-            from ._debug import maybe_wait_for_debugger
+            from .devx._debug import maybe_wait_for_debugger
             await maybe_wait_for_debugger()
 
             # remove the context from runtime tracking
diff --git a/tractor/_root.py b/tractor/_root.py
index f64aa69..b117c2c 100644
--- a/tractor/_root.py
+++ b/tractor/_root.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ from ._runtime import (
     Arbiter,
     async_main,
 )
-from . import _debug
+from .devx import _debug
 from . import _spawn
 from . import _state
 from . import log
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ async def open_root_actor(
     # https://github.com/python-trio/trio/issues/1155#issuecomment-742964018
     builtin_bp_handler = sys.breakpointhook
     orig_bp_path: str | None = os.environ.get('PYTHONBREAKPOINT', None)
-    os.environ['PYTHONBREAKPOINT'] = 'tractor._debug.pause_from_sync'
+    os.environ['PYTHONBREAKPOINT'] = 'tractor.devx._debug.pause_from_sync'
 
     # attempt to retreive ``trio``'s sigint handler and stash it
     # on our debugger lock state.
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ async def open_root_actor(
 
         # expose internal debug module to every actor allowing
         # for use of ``await tractor.breakpoint()``
-        enable_modules.append('tractor._debug')
+        enable_modules.append('tractor.devx._debug')
 
         # if debug mode get's enabled *at least* use that level of
         # logging for some informative console prompts.
diff --git a/tractor/_runtime.py b/tractor/_runtime.py
index 16f105c..0f8cc7a 100644
--- a/tractor/_runtime.py
+++ b/tractor/_runtime.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ from ._exceptions import (
     ContextCancelled,
     TransportClosed,
 )
-from . import _debug
+from .devx import _debug
 from ._discovery import get_registry
 from ._portal import Portal
 from . import _state
@@ -264,7 +264,6 @@ async def _invoke(
                 cs: trio.CancelScope = ctx._scope
                 if cs.cancel_called:
                     canceller = ctx._cancelled_remote
-                    # await _debug.breakpoint()
 
                     # NOTE / TODO: if we end up having
                     # ``Actor._cancel_task()`` call
@@ -536,7 +535,7 @@ class Actor:
         self._parent_main_data = _mp_fixup_main._mp_figure_out_main()
 
         # always include debugging tools module
-        enable_modules.append('tractor._debug')
+        enable_modules.append('tractor.devx._debug')
 
         self.enable_modules: dict[str, str] = {}
         for name in enable_modules:
diff --git a/tractor/_spawn.py b/tractor/_spawn.py
index 985b810..9c61855 100644
--- a/tractor/_spawn.py
+++ b/tractor/_spawn.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ from exceptiongroup import BaseExceptionGroup
 import trio
 from trio_typing import TaskStatus
 
-from ._debug import (
+from .devx._debug import (
     maybe_wait_for_debugger,
     acquire_debug_lock,
 )
diff --git a/tractor/_supervise.py b/tractor/_supervise.py
index e8599fd..7851d9f 100644
--- a/tractor/_supervise.py
+++ b/tractor/_supervise.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import warnings
 from exceptiongroup import BaseExceptionGroup
 import trio
 
-from ._debug import maybe_wait_for_debugger
+from .devx._debug import maybe_wait_for_debugger
 from ._state import current_actor, is_main_process
 from .log import get_logger, get_loglevel
 from ._runtime import Actor
diff --git a/tractor/devx/__init__.py b/tractor/devx/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e24405a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tractor/devx/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+# tractor: structured concurrent "actors".
+# Copyright 2018-eternity Tyler Goodlet.
+
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+"""
+Runtime "developer experience" utils and addons to aid our
+(advanced) users and core devs in building distributed applications
+and working with/on the actor runtime.
+
+"""
+from ._debug import (
+    maybe_wait_for_debugger,
+    acquire_debug_lock,
+    breakpoint,
+    pause,
+    pause_from_sync,
+    shield_sigint_handler,
+    MultiActorPdb,
+    open_crash_handler,
+    post_mortem,
+)
+
+__all__ = [
+    'maybe_wait_for_debugger',
+    'acquire_debug_lock',
+    'breakpoint',
+    'pause',
+    'pause_from_sync',
+    'shield_sigint_handler',
+    'MultiActorPdb',
+    'open_crash_handler',
+    'post_mortem',
+]
diff --git a/tractor/_debug.py b/tractor/devx/_debug.py
similarity index 96%
rename from tractor/_debug.py
rename to tractor/devx/_debug.py
index d5f5f4f..6575c22 100644
--- a/tractor/_debug.py
+++ b/tractor/devx/_debug.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from functools import (
     cached_property,
 )
 from contextlib import asynccontextmanager as acm
+from contextlib import contextmanager as cm
 from typing import (
     Any,
     Callable,
@@ -44,22 +45,25 @@ from trio_typing import (
     # Task,
 )
 
-from .log import get_logger
-from ._discovery import get_root
-from ._state import (
+from ..log import get_logger
+from .._discovery import get_root
+from .._state import (
     is_root_process,
     debug_mode,
 )
-from ._exceptions import (
+from .._exceptions import (
     is_multi_cancelled,
     ContextCancelled,
 )
-from ._ipc import Channel
+from .._ipc import Channel
 
 log = get_logger(__name__)
 
 
-__all__ = ['breakpoint', 'post_mortem']
+__all__ = [
+    'breakpoint',
+    'post_mortem',
+]
 
 
 class Lock:
@@ -390,7 +394,7 @@ async def wait_for_parent_stdin_hijack(
                 # this syncs to child's ``Context.started()`` call.
                 async with portal.open_context(
 
-                    tractor._debug.lock_tty_for_child,
+                    lock_tty_for_child,
                     subactor_uid=actor_uid,
 
                 ) as (ctx, val):
@@ -855,7 +859,7 @@ pause = partial(
     _pause,
     _set_trace,
 )
-pp = pause  # short-hand for "pause point"
+# pp = pause  # short-hand for "pause point"
 
 
 async def breakpoint(**kwargs):
@@ -1008,3 +1012,32 @@ async def maybe_wait_for_debugger(
             log.debug(
                     'Root acquired TTY LOCK'
             )
+
+
+# TODO: better naming and what additionals?
+# - optional runtime plugging?
+# - detection for sync vs. async code?
+# - specialized REPL entry when in distributed mode?
+@cm
+def open_crash_handler(
+    catch: set[BaseException] = {
+        Exception,
+        BaseException,
+    }
+):
+    '''
+    Generic "post mortem" crash handler using `pdbp` REPL debugger.
+
+    We expose this as a CLI framework addon to both `click` and
+    `typer` users so they can quickly wrap cmd endpoints which get
+    automatically wrapped to use the runtime's `debug_mode: bool`
+    AND `pdbp.pm()` around any code that is PRE-runtime entry
+    - any sync code which runs BEFORE the main call to
+      `trio.run()`.
+
+    '''
+    try:
+        yield
+    except tuple(catch):
+        pdbp.xpm()
+        raise