diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 08d1413..ec51220 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -240,3 +240,15 @@ task :debug => APPLICATION+".elf" do |t|
       exec("#{GDB} --eval-command='target extended-remote #{BMP_PORT}' --eval-command='monitor version' --eval-command='monitor swdp_scan' --eval-command='attach 1' #{t.source}")
   end
 end
+
+# debug application using GDB
+desc "debug bootloader using GDB"
+task :debug_bootloader => BOOTLOADER+".elf" do |t|
+  case SWD_ADAPTER
+    when "STLINKV2"
+      # for GDB to work with openOCD the firmware needs to be reloaded
+      exec("#{GDB} --eval-command='target remote | #{OOCD} --file interface/#{OOCD_INTERFACE}.cfg --file target/#{OOCD_TARGET}.cfg --command \"gdb_port pipe; log_output /dev/null; init\"' --eval-command='monitor reset halt' --eval-command='load' --eval-command='monitor reset init' #{t.source}")
+    when "BMP"
+      exec("#{GDB} --eval-command='target extended-remote #{BMP_PORT}' --eval-command='monitor version' --eval-command='monitor swdp_scan' --eval-command='attach 1' #{t.source}")
+  end
+end