diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index eeea5bd..28ce306 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -52,7 +52,13 @@ The following settings are used to configure the debugger:
                 "staleBuild": "warn",
 
                 // Fully qualified path to the AndroidManifest.xml file compiled in the APK. Default: appSrcRoot/AndroidManifest.xml
-                "manifestFile": "${workspaceRoot}/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml"
+                "manifestFile": "${workspaceRoot}/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml",
+
+                // APK install arguments passed to the Android package manager. Run 'adb shell pm' to show valid arguments. Default: ["-r"]
+                "pmInstallArgs": ["-r"],
+
+                // Manually specify the activity to run when the app is started.
+                "launchActivity": ".MainActivity"
             }
         ]
     }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index b3a287d..99c59da 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@
                                 "description": "Number of entries to display in call stack views (for locations outside of the project source). 0 shows the entire call stack. Default: 1",
                                 "default": 1
                             },
+                            "launchActivity": {
+                                "type": "string",
+                                "description": "Manually specify the activity to run when the app is started.",
+                                "default": ""
+                            },
                             "logcatPort": {
                                 "type": "integer",
                                 "description": "Port number to use for the internal logcat websocket link. Changes to this value only apply when the extension is restarted. Default: 7038",
@@ -89,6 +94,11 @@
                                 "description": "Overrides the default location of AndroidManifest.xml",
                                 "default": "${workspaceRoot}/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml"
                             },
+                            "pmInstallArgs": {
+                                "type": "array",
+                                "description":"APK install arguments passed to the Android package manager. Run 'adb shell pm' to show valid arguments. Default: [\"-r\"]",
+                                "default": ["-r"]
+                            },
                             "staleBuild": {
                                 "type": "string",
                                 "description": "Launch behaviour if source files have been saved after the APK was built. One of: [\"ignore\" \"warn\" \"stop\"]. Default: \"warn\"",
@@ -102,7 +112,7 @@
                             "trace": {
                                 "type": "boolean",
                                 "description": "Set to true to output debugging logs for diagnostics",
-                                "default": "false"
+                                "default": false
                             }
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/src/debugMain.js b/src/debugMain.js
index c7eca47..d123d30 100644
--- a/src/debugMain.js
+++ b/src/debugMain.js
@@ -245,6 +245,7 @@ class AndroidDebugSession extends DebugSession {
         this.app_src_root = ensure_path_end_slash(args.appSrcRoot);
         this.apk_fpn = args.apkFile;
         this.manifest_fpn = args.manifestFile;
+        this.pmInstallArgs = args.pmInstallArgs;
         if (typeof args.callStackDisplaySize === 'number' && args.callStackDisplaySize >= 0)
             this.callStackDisplaySize = args.callStackDisplaySize|0;
 
@@ -397,16 +398,19 @@ class AndroidDebugSession extends DebugSession {
     copyAndInstallAPK() {
         // copy the file to the device
         this.LOG('Deploying current build...');
+        const device_apk_fpn = '/data/local/tmp/debug.apk';
         return this._device.adbclient.push_file({
-            filepathname:'/data/local/tmp/debug.apk',
+            filepathname:device_apk_fpn,
             filedata:this._apk_file_data,
             filemtime:new Date().getTime(),
         })
         .then(() => {
             // send the install command
             this.LOG('Installing...');
+            const command = `pm install ${Array.isArray(this.pmInstallArgs) ? this.pmInstallArgs.join(' ') : '-r'} ${device_apk_fpn}`;
+            D(command);
             return this._device.adbclient.shell_cmd({
-                command:'pm install -r /data/local/tmp/debug.apk',
+                command,
                 untilclosed:true,
             })
         })
@@ -418,6 +422,12 @@ class AndroidDebugSession extends DebugSession {
             if (m) {
                 return $.Deferred().rejectWith(this, [new Error('Installation failed. ' + m[0])]);
             }
+            // now the 'pm install' command can have user-defined arguments, we must check that the command
+            // is not rejected because of bad values
+            m = stdout.match(/^java.lang.IllegalArgumentException:.+/m);
+            if (m) {
+                return $.Deferred().rejectWith(this, [new Error('Installation failed. ' + m[0])]);
+            }
         })
     }