diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/lib/api/cloud-assembly/environment.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/lib/api/cloud-assembly/environment.ts
index 7f8129090..40daa9aab 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/lib/api/cloud-assembly/environment.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/lib/api/cloud-assembly/environment.ts
@@ -84,12 +84,25 @@ export function synthParametersFromSettings(settings: Settings): {
   context: Context;
   env: Env;
 } {
+  // These are the environment variables that will switch on debugging in the
+  // CDK framework.
+  //
+  // - CDK_DEBUG: an environment variable instead of a context variable, so it can also
+  // be accessed in framework code where we don't have access to a construct tree.
+  // - JSII_HOST_STACK_TRACES: have the jsii client library send call stacks
+  // across so we can read them in JS-land. Only set if not already set by the
+  // user, this allows them to switch it off by setting `JSII_HOST_STACK_TRACES=0`.
+  const debugEnvVars: Record<string, string> = {
+    CDK_DEBUG: 'true',
+  };
+  if (process.env.JSII_HOST_STACK_TRACES === undefined) {
+    debugEnvVars.JSII_HOST_STACK_TRACES = '1';
+  }
+
   return {
     context: contextFromSettings(settings),
     env: {
-      // An environment variable instead of a context variable, so it can also
-      // be accessed in framework code where we don't have access to a construct tree.
-      ...settings.get(['debugApp']) ? { CDK_DEBUG: 'true' } : {},
+      ...settings.get(['debugApp']) ? debugEnvVars : {},
     },
   };
 }
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/test/api/cloud-assembly/environment.test.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/test/api/cloud-assembly/environment.test.ts
index 1a921231d..3e27e50c9 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/test/api/cloud-assembly/environment.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/test/api/cloud-assembly/environment.test.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ test.each([
 ])('cmd=%p win=%p (stat=%p) exe=%p node=%p => %p', async (commandLine: string, isWindows: boolean, statFile: string, isExecutable: boolean | undefined, nodePath: string, expected: string) => {
   // GIVEN
   process.execPath = nodePath;
-  Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { value: isWindows ? 'win32' : 'linux' }) ;
+  Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { value: isWindows ? 'win32' : 'linux' });
   jest.spyOn(fs, 'stat').mockImplementation((p) => {
     if (p !== statFile) {
       throw new Error(`Expected a stat() call on '${statFile}' but got '${p}'`);
@@ -98,4 +98,17 @@ describe('synthParametersFromSettings sets CDK_DEBUG from debugApp', () => {
     const { env } = synthParametersFromSettings(new Settings({}));
     expect(env.CDK_DEBUG).toBeUndefined();
   });
+
+  test('debugApp: true sets JSII_HOST_STACK_TRACES', () => {
+    delete process.env.JSII_HOST_STACK_TRACES;
+    const { env } = synthParametersFromSettings(new Settings({ debugApp: true }));
+    expect(env.JSII_HOST_STACK_TRACES).toBe('1');
+  });
+
+  test('debugApp: true does set JSII_HOST_STACK_TRACES if already set', () => {
+    process.env.JSII_HOST_STACK_TRACES = '0';
+    const { env } = synthParametersFromSettings(new Settings({ debugApp: true }));
+    expect(Object.keys(env)).not.toContain('JSII_HOST_STACK_TRACES');
+    delete process.env.JSII_HOST_STACK_TRACES;
+  });
 });