diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b2f984a..eeea5bd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ If you use gradle (or Android Studio), you can build your app from the command-l
 
 This extension allows you to debug your App by creating a new Android configuration in `launch.json`.  
 The following settings are used to configure the debugger:
-
+```jsonc
     {
         "version": "0.2.0",
         "configurations": [
@@ -50,9 +50,13 @@ The following settings are used to configure the debugger:
 
                 // Launch behaviour if source files have been saved after the APK was built. One of: [ ignore warn stop ]. Default: warn
                 "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"
             }
         ]
     }
+```
 
 ## Building your app automatically
 
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index d93ebb1..ac023b9 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -225,8 +225,7 @@
         "balanced-match": {
             "version": "1.0.0",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/balanced-match/-/balanced-match-1.0.0.tgz",
-            "integrity": "sha1-ibTRmasr7kneFk6gK4nORi1xt2c=",
-            "dev": true
+            "integrity": "sha1-ibTRmasr7kneFk6gK4nORi1xt2c="
         },
         "bcrypt-pbkdf": {
             "version": "1.0.2",
@@ -237,6 +236,20 @@
                 "tweetnacl": "^0.14.3"
             }
         },
+        "big-integer": {
+            "version": "1.6.44",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/big-integer/-/big-integer-1.6.44.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha512-7MzElZPTyJ2fNvBkPxtFQ2fWIkVmuzw41+BZHSzpEq3ymB2MfeKp1+yXl/tS75xCx+WnyV+yb0kp+K1C3UNwmQ=="
+        },
+        "binary": {
+            "version": "0.3.0",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/binary/-/binary-0.3.0.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha1-n2BVO8XOjDOG87VTz/R0Yq3sqnk=",
+            "requires": {
+                "buffers": "~0.1.1",
+                "chainsaw": "~0.1.0"
+            }
+        },
         "block-stream": {
             "version": "0.0.9",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/block-stream/-/block-stream-0.0.9.tgz",
@@ -246,11 +259,15 @@
                 "inherits": "~2.0.0"
             }
         },
+        "bluebird": {
+            "version": "3.4.7",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/bluebird/-/bluebird-3.4.7.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha1-9y12C+Cbf3bQjtj66Ysomo0F+rM="
+        },
         "brace-expansion": {
             "version": "1.1.11",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-1.1.11.tgz",
             "integrity": "sha512-iCuPHDFgrHX7H2vEI/5xpz07zSHB00TpugqhmYtVmMO6518mCuRMoOYFldEBl0g187ufozdaHgWKcYFb61qGiA==",
-            "dev": true,
             "requires": {
                 "balanced-match": "^1.0.0",
                 "concat-map": "0.0.1"
@@ -280,6 +297,16 @@
             "integrity": "sha512-MQcXEUbCKtEo7bhqEs6560Hyd4XaovZlO/k9V3hjVUF/zwW7KBVdSK4gIt/bzwS9MbR5qob+F5jusZsb0YQK2A==",
             "dev": true
         },
+        "buffer-indexof-polyfill": {
+            "version": "1.0.1",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/buffer-indexof-polyfill/-/buffer-indexof-polyfill-1.0.1.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha1-qfuAbOgUXVQoUQznLyeLs2OmOL8="
+        },
+        "buffers": {
+            "version": "0.1.1",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/buffers/-/buffers-0.1.1.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha1-skV5w77U1tOWru5tmorn9Ugqt7s="
+        },
         "caller-path": {
             "version": "0.1.0",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/caller-path/-/caller-path-0.1.0.tgz",
@@ -301,6 +328,14 @@
             "integrity": "sha1-G2gcIf+EAzyCZUMJBolCDRhxUdw=",
             "dev": true
         },
+        "chainsaw": {
+            "version": "0.1.0",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/chainsaw/-/chainsaw-0.1.0.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha1-XqtQsor+WAdNDVgpE4iCi15fvJg=",
+            "requires": {
+                "traverse": ">=0.3.0 <0.4"
+            }
+        },
         "chalk": {
             "version": "2.4.1",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/chalk/-/chalk-2.4.1.tgz",
@@ -401,8 +436,7 @@
         "concat-map": {
             "version": "0.0.1",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/concat-map/-/concat-map-0.0.1.tgz",
-            "integrity": "sha1-2Klr13/Wjfd5OnMDajug1UBdR3s=",
-            "dev": true
+            "integrity": "sha1-2Klr13/Wjfd5OnMDajug1UBdR3s="
         },
         "convert-source-map": {
             "version": "1.6.0",
@@ -416,8 +450,7 @@
         "core-util-is": {
             "version": "1.0.2",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/core-util-is/-/core-util-is-1.0.2.tgz",
-            "integrity": "sha1-tf1UIgqivFq1eqtxQMlAdUUDwac=",
-            "dev": true
+            "integrity": "sha1-tf1UIgqivFq1eqtxQMlAdUUDwac="
         },
         "cross-spawn": {
             "version": "6.0.5",
@@ -501,6 +534,14 @@
             "integrity": "sha1-rOb/gIwc5mtX0ev5eXessCM0z8E=",
             "dev": true
         },
+        "duplexer2": {
+            "version": "0.1.4",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/duplexer2/-/duplexer2-0.1.4.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha1-ixLauHjA1p4+eJEFFmKjL8a93ME=",
+            "requires": {
+                "readable-stream": "^2.0.2"
+            }
+        },
         "duplexify": {
             "version": "3.6.1",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/duplexify/-/duplexify-3.6.1.tgz",
@@ -804,14 +845,12 @@
         "fs.realpath": {
             "version": "1.0.0",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fs.realpath/-/fs.realpath-1.0.0.tgz",
-            "integrity": "sha1-FQStJSMVjKpA20onh8sBQRmU6k8=",
-            "dev": true
+            "integrity": "sha1-FQStJSMVjKpA20onh8sBQRmU6k8="
         },
         "fstream": {
             "version": "1.0.12",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fstream/-/fstream-1.0.12.tgz",
             "integrity": "sha512-WvJ193OHa0GHPEL+AycEJgxvBEwyfRkN1vhjca23OaPVMCaLCXTd5qAu82AjTcgP1UJmytkOKb63Ypde7raDIg==",
-            "dev": true,
             "requires": {
                 "graceful-fs": "^4.1.2",
                 "inherits": "~2.0.0",
@@ -844,7 +883,6 @@
             "version": "7.1.3",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/glob/-/glob-7.1.3.tgz",
             "integrity": "sha512-vcfuiIxogLV4DlGBHIUOwI0IbrJ8HWPc4MU7HzviGeNho/UJDfi6B5p3sHeWIQ0KGIU0Jpxi5ZHxemQfLkkAwQ==",
-            "dev": true,
             "requires": {
                 "fs.realpath": "^1.0.0",
                 "inflight": "^1.0.4",
@@ -891,8 +929,7 @@
         "graceful-fs": {
             "version": "4.1.15",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/graceful-fs/-/graceful-fs-4.1.15.tgz",
-            "integrity": "sha512-6uHUhOPEBgQ24HM+r6b/QwWfZq+yiFcipKFrOFiBEnWdy5sdzYoi+pJeQaPI5qOLRFqWmAXUPQNsielzdLoecA==",
-            "dev": true
+            "integrity": "sha512-6uHUhOPEBgQ24HM+r6b/QwWfZq+yiFcipKFrOFiBEnWdy5sdzYoi+pJeQaPI5qOLRFqWmAXUPQNsielzdLoecA=="
         },
         "growl": {
             "version": "1.10.5",
@@ -1169,7 +1206,6 @@
             "version": "1.0.6",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/inflight/-/inflight-1.0.6.tgz",
             "integrity": "sha1-Sb1jMdfQLQwJvJEKEHW6gWW1bfk=",
-            "dev": true,
             "requires": {
                 "once": "^1.3.0",
                 "wrappy": "1"
@@ -1178,8 +1214,7 @@
         "inherits": {
             "version": "2.0.3",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/inherits/-/inherits-2.0.3.tgz",
-            "integrity": "sha1-Yzwsg+PaQqUC9SRmAiSA9CCCYd4=",
-            "dev": true
+            "integrity": "sha1-Yzwsg+PaQqUC9SRmAiSA9CCCYd4="
         },
         "inquirer": {
             "version": "6.2.1",
@@ -1331,8 +1366,7 @@
         "isarray": {
             "version": "1.0.0",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/isarray/-/isarray-1.0.0.tgz",
-            "integrity": "sha1-u5NdSFgsuhaMBoNJV6VKPgcSTxE=",
-            "dev": true
+            "integrity": "sha1-u5NdSFgsuhaMBoNJV6VKPgcSTxE="
         },
         "isexe": {
             "version": "2.0.0",
@@ -1453,6 +1487,11 @@
                 "type-check": "~0.3.2"
             }
         },
+        "listenercount": {
+            "version": "1.0.1",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/listenercount/-/listenercount-1.0.1.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha1-hMinKrWcRyUyFIDJdeZQg0LnCTc="
+        },
         "lodash": {
             "version": "4.17.14",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/lodash/-/lodash-4.17.14.tgz",
@@ -1495,7 +1534,6 @@
             "version": "3.0.4",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/minimatch/-/minimatch-3.0.4.tgz",
             "integrity": "sha512-yJHVQEhyqPLUTgt9B83PXu6W3rx4MvvHvSUvToogpwoGDOUQ+yDrR0HRot+yOCdCO7u4hX3pWft6kWBBcqh0UA==",
-            "dev": true,
             "requires": {
                 "brace-expansion": "^1.1.7"
             }
@@ -1670,7 +1708,6 @@
             "version": "1.4.0",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/once/-/once-1.4.0.tgz",
             "integrity": "sha1-WDsap3WWHUsROsF9nFC6753Xa9E=",
-            "dev": true,
             "requires": {
                 "wrappy": "1"
             }
@@ -1722,8 +1759,7 @@
         "path-is-absolute": {
             "version": "1.0.1",
             "resolved": "http://registry.npmjs.org/path-is-absolute/-/path-is-absolute-1.0.1.tgz",
-            "integrity": "sha1-F0uSaHNVNP+8es5r9TpanhtcX18=",
-            "dev": true
+            "integrity": "sha1-F0uSaHNVNP+8es5r9TpanhtcX18="
         },
         "path-is-inside": {
             "version": "1.0.2",
@@ -1786,8 +1822,7 @@
         "process-nextick-args": {
             "version": "2.0.0",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/process-nextick-args/-/process-nextick-args-2.0.0.tgz",
-            "integrity": "sha512-MtEC1TqN0EU5nephaJ4rAtThHtC86dNN9qCuEhtshvpVBkAW5ZO7BASN9REnF9eoXGcRub+pFuKEpOHE+HbEMw==",
-            "dev": true
+            "integrity": "sha512-MtEC1TqN0EU5nephaJ4rAtThHtC86dNN9qCuEhtshvpVBkAW5ZO7BASN9REnF9eoXGcRub+pFuKEpOHE+HbEMw=="
         },
         "progress": {
             "version": "2.0.2",
@@ -1853,7 +1888,6 @@
             "version": "2.3.6",
             "resolved": "http://registry.npmjs.org/readable-stream/-/readable-stream-2.3.6.tgz",
             "integrity": "sha512-tQtKA9WIAhBF3+VLAseyMqZeBjW0AHJoxOtYqSUZNJxauErmLbVm2FW1y+J/YA9dUrAC39ITejlZWhVIwawkKw==",
-            "dev": true,
             "requires": {
                 "core-util-is": "~1.0.0",
                 "inherits": "~2.0.3",
@@ -1976,7 +2010,6 @@
             "version": "2.6.2",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/rimraf/-/rimraf-2.6.2.tgz",
             "integrity": "sha512-lreewLK/BlghmxtfH36YYVg1i8IAce4TI7oao75I1g245+6BctqTVQiBP3YUJ9C6DQOXJmkYR9X9fCLtCOJc5w==",
-            "dev": true,
             "requires": {
                 "glob": "^7.0.5"
             }
@@ -2002,8 +2035,7 @@
         "safe-buffer": {
             "version": "5.1.2",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/safe-buffer/-/safe-buffer-5.1.2.tgz",
-            "integrity": "sha512-Gd2UZBJDkXlY7GbJxfsE8/nvKkUEU1G38c1siN6QP6a9PT9MmHB8GnpscSmMJSoF8LOIrt8ud/wPtojys4G6+g==",
-            "dev": true
+            "integrity": "sha512-Gd2UZBJDkXlY7GbJxfsE8/nvKkUEU1G38c1siN6QP6a9PT9MmHB8GnpscSmMJSoF8LOIrt8ud/wPtojys4G6+g=="
         },
         "safer-buffer": {
             "version": "2.1.2",
@@ -2017,6 +2049,11 @@
             "integrity": "sha512-RS9R6R35NYgQn++fkDWaOmqGoj4Ek9gGs+DPxNUZKuwE183xjJroKvyo1IzVFeXvUrvmALy6FWD5xrdJT25gMg==",
             "dev": true
         },
+        "setimmediate": {
+            "version": "1.0.5",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/setimmediate/-/setimmediate-1.0.5.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha1-KQy7Iy4waULX1+qbg3Mqt4VvgoU="
+        },
         "shebang-command": {
             "version": "1.2.0",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/shebang-command/-/shebang-command-1.2.0.tgz",
@@ -2147,7 +2184,6 @@
             "version": "1.1.1",
             "resolved": "http://registry.npmjs.org/string_decoder/-/string_decoder-1.1.1.tgz",
             "integrity": "sha512-n/ShnvDi6FHbbVfviro+WojiFzv+s8MPMHBczVePfUpDJLwoLT0ht1l4YwBCbi8pJAveEEdnkHyPyTP/mzRfwg==",
-            "dev": true,
             "requires": {
                 "safe-buffer": "~5.1.0"
             }
@@ -2277,6 +2313,11 @@
                 }
             }
         },
+        "traverse": {
+            "version": "0.3.9",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/traverse/-/traverse-0.3.9.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha1-cXuPIgzAu3tE5AUUwisui7xw2Lk="
+        },
         "tslib": {
             "version": "1.9.3",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tslib/-/tslib-1.9.3.tgz",
@@ -2329,6 +2370,22 @@
                 "through2-filter": "^2.0.0"
             }
         },
+        "unzipper": {
+            "version": "0.10.4",
+            "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/unzipper/-/unzipper-0.10.4.tgz",
+            "integrity": "sha512-7fmeZe+1J5D5fRMl4Zl4Chn+y+Os0bFgBrzc0Iuv3Xj+xFY0mrRUxzbrj8ZUO/lkyErJxtZJ5a13pLXc+KxvRg==",
+            "requires": {
+                "big-integer": "^1.6.17",
+                "binary": "~0.3.0",
+                "bluebird": "~3.4.1",
+                "buffer-indexof-polyfill": "~1.0.0",
+                "duplexer2": "~0.1.4",
+                "fstream": "^1.0.12",
+                "listenercount": "~1.0.1",
+                "readable-stream": "~2.3.6",
+                "setimmediate": "~1.0.4"
+            }
+        },
         "uri-js": {
             "version": "4.2.2",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/uri-js/-/uri-js-4.2.2.tgz",
@@ -2351,8 +2408,7 @@
         "util-deprecate": {
             "version": "1.0.2",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/util-deprecate/-/util-deprecate-1.0.2.tgz",
-            "integrity": "sha1-RQ1Nyfpw3nMnYvvS1KKJgUGaDM8=",
-            "dev": true
+            "integrity": "sha1-RQ1Nyfpw3nMnYvvS1KKJgUGaDM8="
         },
         "uuid": {
             "version": "3.3.2",
@@ -2636,8 +2692,7 @@
         "wrappy": {
             "version": "1.0.2",
             "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/wrappy/-/wrappy-1.0.2.tgz",
-            "integrity": "sha1-tSQ9jz7BqjXxNkYFvA0QNuMKtp8=",
-            "dev": true
+            "integrity": "sha1-tSQ9jz7BqjXxNkYFvA0QNuMKtp8="
         },
         "write": {
             "version": "0.2.1",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 2e1b03d..b3a287d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -84,6 +84,11 @@
                                 "description": "Port number to use for the internal logcat websocket link. Changes to this value only apply when the extension is restarted. Default: 7038",
                                 "default": 7038
                             },
+                            "manifestFile": {
+                                "type": "string",
+                                "description": "Overrides the default location of AndroidManifest.xml",
+                                "default": "${workspaceRoot}/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml"
+                            },
                             "staleBuild": {
                                 "type": "string",
                                 "description": "Launch behaviour if source files have been saved after the APK was built. One of: [\"ignore\" \"warn\" \"stop\"]. Default: \"warn\"",
@@ -136,6 +141,7 @@
     },
     "dependencies": {
         "long": "^4.0.0",
+        "unzipper": "^0.10.4",
         "uuid": "^3.3.2",
         "vscode-debugadapter": "^1.32.0",
         "vscode-debugprotocol": "^1.32.0",
diff --git a/src/apkdecoder.js b/src/apkdecoder.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..de2bd4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/apkdecoder.js
@@ -0,0 +1,281 @@
+const START_NAMESPACE_SPEC = {
+    hdr: '0x0100',
+    hdrsz: '0x0010',
+    sz: '0x00000018',
+    startline: 4,
+    commentId: 4,
+    nameId: 4,
+    valueId: 4,
+}
+const END_NAMESPACE_SPEC = {
+    hdr: '0x0101',
+    hdrsz: '0x0010',
+    sz: '0x00000018',
+    startline: 4,
+    commentId: 4,
+    nameId: 4,
+    valueId: 4,
+}
+const BEGIN_NODE_SPEC = {
+    hdr: '0x0102',
+    hdrsz: '0x0010',
+    sz: 4,
+    startline: 4,
+    commentId: 4,
+    namespaceId: 4,
+    nameId: 4,
+    attr: {
+        offset: 2,
+        size: 2,
+        count: 2,
+    },
+    id_attr_offset: 2,
+    cls_attr_offset: 2,
+    style_attr_offset: 2,
+    attributes: [{
+        length: main => main.attr.count,
+        element_spec: {
+            ns: 4,
+            nameId: 4,
+            commentId: 4,
+            sz: '0x0008',
+            zero: '0x00',
+            type: 1,
+            value: 4,
+        }
+    }]
+}
+
+const END_NODE_SPEC = {
+    hdr: '0x0103',
+    hdrsz: '0x0010',
+    sz: 4,
+    startline: 4,
+    commentId: 4,
+    namespaceId: 4,
+    nameId: 4,
+}
+
+function decode_spec_value(o, key, value, buf, idx, main) {
+    let byteLength;
+    switch (true) {
+        case typeof value === 'number': {
+            // raw integer value
+            byteLength = value;
+            o[key] = buf.readIntLE(idx, byteLength);
+            break;
+        }
+        case Array.isArray(value): {
+            // known-length array of values
+            const length = value[0].length(main);
+            byteLength = 0;
+            o[key] = new Array(length);
+            for (let i = 0; i < length; i++) {
+                const bytes = decode_spec_value(o[key], i, value[0].element_spec, buf, idx, main);
+                idx += bytes;
+                byteLength += bytes;
+            }
+            break;
+        }
+        case typeof value === 'object': {
+            // named sub-spec
+            o[key] = {};
+            byteLength = decode_spec(buf, value, o[key], o, idx);
+            break
+        }
+        case /^0x[\da-fA-F]/.test(value): {
+            // exact integer value
+            byteLength = (value.length - 2) / 2;
+            o[key] = buf.readUIntLE(idx, byteLength);
+            if (parseInt(value) !== o[key]) {
+                throw new Error(`Bad value. Expected ${value}, got 0x${o[key].toString(16)}`);
+            }
+            break;
+        }
+        case value === 'length-utf16-null': {
+            // 2-byte length, utf16 chars, null char
+            const string_byte_length = buf.readUInt16LE(idx) * 2;   // 1 char = 2 bytes
+            idx += 2;
+            o[key] = buf.slice(idx, idx + string_byte_length).toString('ucs2');
+            idx += string_byte_length;
+            if (buf.readUInt16LE(idx) !== 0) {
+                throw new Error(`Bad value. Nul char expected but not found.`);
+            }
+            byteLength = 2 + string_byte_length + 2;
+            break;
+        }
+        case /^align:\d+$/.test(value): {
+            // used for arbitrary padding to a specified alignment
+            const align = parseInt(value.split(':')[1], 10);
+            byteLength = align - (idx % align);
+            o[key] = buf.slice(idx, idx + byteLength);
+            break;
+        }
+        default: throw new Error(`Unknown spec value definition: ${value}`);
+    }
+    return byteLength;
+}
+
+function decode_spec(buf, spec, o = {}, main = o, idx = 0) {
+
+    let byteLength = 0;
+    for (let key of Object.keys(spec)) {
+        const value = spec[key];
+        const bytes = decode_spec_value(o, key, value, buf, idx, main);
+        idx += bytes;
+        byteLength += bytes;
+    }
+
+    return byteLength;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Converts a binary XML file back into a readable XML document
+ * @param {Buffer} buf binary XMl content
+ */
+function decode_binary_xml(buf) {
+    const xml_spec = {
+        header: '0x00080003',
+        headerSize: 4,
+        stringPool: {
+            header: '0x0001',
+            hdrsize: '0x001c',
+            sz: 4,
+            stringCount: 4,
+            styleCount: 4,
+            flags: 4,
+            stringStart: 4,
+            styleStart: 4,
+            stringOffsets: [{
+                length: main => main.stringPool.stringCount,
+                element_spec: 4,
+            }],
+            strings: [{
+                length: main => main.stringPool.stringCount,
+                element_spec: 'length-utf16-null',
+            }],
+            padding: 'align:4',
+        },
+        resourceIDPool: {
+            hdr: '0x0180',
+            hdrsize: '0x0008',
+            sz: 4,
+            resIDs: [{
+                length: main => (main.resourceIDPool.sz - main.resourceIDPool.hdrsize) / 4,
+                element_spec: 4,
+            }]
+        }
+    }
+
+    const decoded = {};
+    let idx = decode_spec(buf, xml_spec, decoded);
+
+    // after we've extracted the string and id's, it should be time to parse the xml
+    const node_stack = [{ nodes: [] }];
+    const namespaces = [];
+    while (idx < buf.byteLength) {
+        const id = buf.readUInt16LE(idx);
+        switch (id) {
+            case 0x0100: {
+                // start namespace
+                const node = {};
+                idx += decode_spec(buf, START_NAMESPACE_SPEC, node, node, idx);
+                namespaces.push(node);
+                break;
+            }
+            case 0x0101: {
+                // end namespace
+                const node = {};
+                idx += decode_spec(buf, END_NAMESPACE_SPEC, node, node, idx);
+                const i = namespaces.findIndex(ns => ns.nameId === node.nameId);
+                namespaces.splice(i, 1);
+                break;
+            }
+            case 0x0102: {
+                // begin node
+                const node = {};
+                idx += decode_spec(buf, BEGIN_NODE_SPEC, node, node, idx);
+                node.namespaces = namespaces.slice();
+                node.namespaces.forEach(ns => {
+                    if (!ns.node) ns.node = node;
+                });
+                node.nodes = [];
+                node_stack[0].nodes.push(node);
+                node_stack.unshift(node);
+                break;
+            }
+            case 0x0103: {
+                // end node
+                const spec = END_NODE_SPEC;
+                const node = {};
+                idx += decode_spec(buf, spec, node, node, idx);
+                node_stack.shift();
+                break;
+            }
+            default: throw new Error(`Unknown XML element ${id.toString(16)}`);
+        }
+    }
+    decoded.nodes = node_stack[0].nodes;
+
+    const xml = toXMLDocument(decoded);
+    return xml;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Convert the decoded binary XML to a readable XML document
+ * @param {*} decoded 
+ */
+function toXMLDocument(decoded) {
+    const strings = decoded.stringPool.strings;
+    const format = {
+        nodes: (nodes, indent) => {
+            return nodes.map(node => format.node(node, indent)).join('\n');
+        },
+        node: (node, indent) => {
+            const parts = [indent, '<', strings[node.nameId]];
+            for (let ns of node.namespaces.filter(ns => ns.node === node)) {
+                parts.push(' ', `xmlns:${strings[ns.nameId]}="${strings[ns.valueId]}"`);
+            }
+            const attr_indent = node.attributes.length > 1 ? `\n${indent}   ` : ' ';
+            for (let attr of node.attributes) {
+                parts.push(attr_indent, format.attribute(attr, node.namespaces));
+            }
+            if (node.nodes.length) {
+                parts.push('>\n', format.nodes(node.nodes, indent + '  '), '\n', indent, '</', strings[node.nameId], '>');
+            } else {
+                parts.push(' />');
+            }
+
+            return parts.join('');
+        },
+        attribute: (attr, namespaces) => {
+            let value = attr.value;
+            switch (attr.type) {
+                case 3:
+                    value = strings[value];
+                    break;
+                case 16:
+                    value |= 0; // convert to signed integer
+                    break; 
+                case 18:
+                    value = value ? true : false;
+                    break;
+                case 1: // resource id
+                case 17: // flags
+                default:
+                    value = '0x' + value.toString(`16`);
+                    break;
+            }
+            let ns = '';
+            if (attr.ns >= 0) {
+                ns = `${strings[namespaces.find(ns => ns.valueId === attr.ns).nameId]}:`;
+            }
+            return `${ns}${strings[attr.nameId]}="${value}"`;
+        }
+    }
+    return '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>\n' + format.nodes(decoded.nodes, '');
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+    decode_binary_xml,
+}
diff --git a/src/debugMain.js b/src/debugMain.js
index efa0593..c7eca47 100644
--- a/src/debugMain.js
+++ b/src/debugMain.js
@@ -10,10 +10,12 @@ const dom = require('xmldom').DOMParser;
 const fs = require('fs');
 const os = require('os');
 const path = require('path');
+const unzipper = require('unzipper');
 const xpath = require('xpath');
 
 // our stuff
 const { ADBClient } = require('./adbclient');
+const { decode_binary_xml } = require('./apkdecoder');
 const { Debugger } = require('./debugger');
 const $ = require('./jq-promise');
 const { AndroidThread } = require('./threads');
@@ -45,6 +47,8 @@ class AndroidDebugSession extends DebugSession {
         this.src_packages = {};
         // the device we are debugging
         this._device = null;
+        // the full file path name of the AndroidManifest.xml, taken from the manifestFile launch property
+        this.manifest_fpn = '';
 
         // the threads (we know about from the last refreshThreads call)
         // this is implemented as both a hashmap<threadid,AndroidThread> and an array of AndroidThread objects
@@ -240,6 +244,7 @@ class AndroidDebugSession extends DebugSession {
         // app_src_root must end in a path-separator for correct validation of sub-paths
         this.app_src_root = ensure_path_end_slash(args.appSrcRoot);
         this.apk_fpn = args.apkFile;
+        this.manifest_fpn = args.manifestFile;
         if (typeof args.callStackDisplaySize === 'number' && args.callStackDisplaySize >= 0)
             this.callStackDisplaySize = args.callStackDisplaySize|0;
 
@@ -432,7 +437,7 @@ class AndroidDebugSession extends DebugSession {
             h.update(apk_file_data);
             done.result.content_hash = h.digest('hex');
             // read the manifest
-            fs.readFile(path.join(this.app_src_root,'AndroidManifest.xml'), 'utf8', (err,manifest) => {
+            this.readAndroidManifest((err, manifest) => {
                 if (err) return done.rejectWith(this, [new Error('Manifest read error. ' + err.message)]);
                 done.result.manifest = manifest;
                 try {
@@ -460,6 +465,64 @@ class AndroidDebugSession extends DebugSession {
         });
         return done;
     }
+
+    readAndroidManifest(cb) {
+        // Because of manifest merging and build-injected properties, the manifest compiled inside
+        // the APK is frequently different from the AndroidManifest.xml source file.
+        // We try to extract the manifest from 3 sources (in priority order):
+        // 1. The 'manifestFile' launch configuration property
+        // 2. The decoded manifest from the APK
+        // 3. The AndroidManifest.xml file from the root of the source tree.
+
+        const readAPKManifest = (cb) => {
+            D(`Reading APK Manifest`);
+            const apk_manifest_chunks = [];
+            function cb_once(err, manifest) {
+                cb && cb(err, manifest);
+                cb = null;
+            }
+            fs.createReadStream(this.apk_fpn)
+                .pipe(unzipper.ParseOne(/^AndroidManifest\.xml$/))
+                .on('data', chunk => {
+                    apk_manifest_chunks.push(chunk);
+                })
+                .once('error', err => {
+                    cb_once(err);
+                })
+                .once('end', () => {
+                    try {
+                        const manifest = decode_binary_xml(Buffer.concat(apk_manifest_chunks));
+                        D(`APK manifest read complete`);
+                        cb_once(null, manifest);
+                    } catch (err) {
+                        D(`APK manifest decode failed: ${err.message}`);
+                        cb_once(err);
+                    }
+                });
+        }
+
+        const readSourceManifest = (cb) => {
+            D(`Reading source manifest from ${this.app_src_root}`);
+            fs.readFile(path.join(this.app_src_root, 'AndroidManifest.xml'), 'utf8', cb);
+        }
+
+        // a value from the manifestFile overrides the default manifest extraction
+        // note: there's no validation that the file is a valid AndroidManifest.xml file
+        if (this.manifest_fpn) {
+            D(`Reading manifest from ${this.manifest_fpn}`);
+            fs.readFile(this.manifest_fpn, 'utf8', cb);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        readAPKManifest((err, manifest) => {
+            if (err) {
+                // if we fail to read the APK manifest, revert to the source manifest
+                readSourceManifest(cb)
+                return;
+            }
+            cb(err, manifest);
+        });
+    }
     
     scanSourceSync(app_root) {
         try {