diff --git a/waflib/Tools/waf_unit_test.py b/waflib/Tools/waf_unit_test.py
index a2f34a31..17983302 100644
--- a/waflib/Tools/waf_unit_test.py
+++ b/waflib/Tools/waf_unit_test.py
@@ -31,9 +31,13 @@ the predefined callback::
 		bld(features='cxx cxxprogram test', source='main.c', target='app')
 		from waflib.Tools import waf_unit_test
 		bld.add_post_fun(waf_unit_test.summary)
+
+By passing --dump-test-runner the execution will also create in the build directory a python file named as the task name with -run.py appended
+that can be executed manually to reproduce the exact execution manually for debugging purposes.
+If the script is run with arguments these will be used instead of the command itself. This can be used to run for example a debugger or profiler on the test manually.
 """
 
-import os
+import os, sys
 from waflib.TaskGen import feature, after_method, taskgen_method
 from waflib import Utils, Task, Logs, Options
 from waflib.Tools import ccroot
@@ -151,6 +155,13 @@ class utest(Task.Task):
 
 	def exec_command(self, cmd, **kw):
 		Logs.debug('runner: %r', cmd)
+		if getattr(Options.options, 'dump_test_runner', False):
+			if not self.generator.name:
+				Logs.warn('waf_unit_test: --dump-test-runner task with no name, outputs may collide')
+			runnername=os.path.join(str(self.generator.path.get_bld()), ( "%s-run.py" % (self.generator.name or 'dump-test-runner')))
+			Utils.writef(runnername, ENVFILE_TEXT %  { 'pyexe': sys.executable, 'env': self.get_test_env(), 'cwd': self.get_cwd().abspath(), 'cmd': cmd[0], 'cmdline': cmd })
+			os.chmod(runnername, Utils.O755)
+
 		proc = Utils.subprocess.Popen(cmd, cwd=self.get_cwd().abspath(), env=self.get_test_env(),
 			stderr=Utils.subprocess.PIPE, stdout=Utils.subprocess.PIPE)
 		(stdout, stderr) = proc.communicate()
@@ -224,4 +235,39 @@ def options(opt):
 	 help = 'Run the unit tests using the test-cmd string'
 	 ' example "--test-cmd="valgrind --error-exitcode=1'
 	 ' %s" to run under valgrind', dest='testcmd')
+	opt.add_option('--dump-test-runner', action='store_true', default=False,
+	 help='Create a python script with full environment to run the test manually for debugging purposes', dest='dump_test_runner')
+
+
+"""
+ENVFILE_TEXT specifies the contents of the test runner script generated if
+--dump-test-runner is used. This can be used to manually run tests which are
+failing in the exact environment as waf tests are run.
+By default when executed it will just run the test and exit. If any arguments
+are passed then those are executed. The use case is for example to pass
+'bash' and this will open the shell when gdb can then be used in the same
+environment as waf would have run the test.
+Test command line is exported as $UT_CMDLINE so this can be used inside the
+executed environment.
+To execute directly gdb something like 'bash -c "gdb \$UT_CMDLINE"' can be
+specified as argument as well.
+"""
+ENVFILE_TEXT = """#! %(pyexe)s
+# If executed with no parametrs the script will run the test exactly as waf
+# If parameters are passed they will be executed instead but in a waf-like
+# environment. Example executions:
+# Create a shell when you can manually invoke gdb or other tools:
+#   <script> bash
+# Start immediately gdb:
+#   <script> bash -c "gdb \$UT_CMDLINE"
+
+import subprocess, sys
+env = %(env)s
+env['UT_CMDLINE'] = " ".join(%(cmdline)s)
+if len(sys.argv) > 1:
+	status = subprocess.call(sys.argv[1:], env = env, cwd = '%(cwd)s')
+else:
+	status = subprocess.call(%(cmdline)s , env = env, cwd = '%(cwd)s')
+sys.exit(status)
+"""