diff --git a/pkgs/test/CHANGELOG.md b/pkgs/test/CHANGELOG.md
index 1cbee81cc..fa768d33f 100644
--- a/pkgs/test/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/pkgs/test/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 * Suppress dart2js compiler output for successful compiles.
 * Include output from passing tests  messages within the `Passing tests` group
   in `GithubReporter`.
+* Only include VM debugger in output when using interactive debugging, suppress
+  it when only using coverage.
 
 ## 1.31.2
 
diff --git a/pkgs/test/test/runner/json_reporter_test.dart b/pkgs/test/test/runner/json_reporter_test.dart
index a984248a5..8d6913e80 100644
--- a/pkgs/test/test/runner/json_reporter_test.dart
+++ b/pkgs/test/test/runner/json_reporter_test.dart
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 library;
 
 import 'dart:async';
+import 'dart:convert';
 import 'dart:io';
 
 import 'package:path/path.dart' as p;
@@ -851,6 +852,93 @@ void customTest(String name, dynamic Function() testFn) => test(name, testFn);
       args: ['-p', 'chrome', '--js-trace'],
     );
   }, tags: ['chrome']);
+
+  test('does not emit debug events when --coverage is enabled', () async {
+    var tempDir = await Directory.systemTemp.createTemp('coverage_json_test');
+    try {
+      await d.file('test.dart', '''
+        import 'package:test/test.dart';
+        void main() {
+          test('success', () {});
+        }
+      ''').create();
+
+      var test = await runTest([
+        'test.dart',
+        '--coverage',
+        tempDir.path,
+      ], reporter: 'json');
+      await test.shouldExit(0);
+
+      var stdoutLines = await test.stdoutStream().toList();
+      var events = [
+        for (var line in stdoutLines) jsonDecode(line) as Map<String, dynamic>,
+      ];
+      expect(events.where((e) => e['type'] == 'debug'), isEmpty);
+    } finally {
+      await tempDir.delete(recursive: true);
+    }
+  });
+
+  test(
+    'emits debug events when --pause-after-load is enabled',
+    () async {
+      await d.file('test.dart', '''
+      import 'package:test/test.dart';
+      void main() {
+        test('success', () {});
+      }
+    ''').create();
+
+      var test = await runTest([
+        'test.dart',
+        '--pause-after-load',
+      ], reporter: 'json');
+
+      await expectLater(test.stdout, emitsThrough(contains('"type":"debug"')));
+
+      test.stdin.writeln();
+      await test.shouldExit(0);
+    },
+    // TODO(https://github.com/dart-lang/test/issues/1613): Fix pause after load tests on windows.
+    testOn: '!windows',
+  );
+
+  test(
+    'emits debug events when both --pause-after-load and --coverage are enabled',
+    () async {
+      var tempDir = await Directory.systemTemp.createTemp(
+        'coverage_pause_json_test',
+      );
+      try {
+        await d.file('test.dart', '''
+        import 'package:test/test.dart';
+        void main() {
+          test('success', () {});
+        }
+      ''').create();
+
+        var test = await runTest([
+          'test.dart',
+          '--pause-after-load',
+          '--coverage',
+          tempDir.path,
+        ], reporter: 'json');
+
+        await expectLater(
+          test.stdout,
+          emitsThrough(contains('"type":"debug"')),
+        );
+
+        test.stdin.writeln();
+        await test.shouldExit(0);
+      } finally {
+        await tempDir.delete(recursive: true);
+      }
+    },
+    // TODO(https://github.com/dart-lang/test/issues/1613): Fix pause after load tests on windows.
+    testOn: '!windows',
+  );
 }
 
 /// Asserts that the tests defined by [tests] produce the JSON events in
diff --git a/pkgs/test_core/CHANGELOG.md b/pkgs/test_core/CHANGELOG.md
index d5a173403..5306a052d 100644
--- a/pkgs/test_core/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/pkgs/test_core/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 * Suppress dart2js compiler output for successful compiles.
 * Include passing test  messages within the `Passing tests` group in
   `GithubReporter`.
+* Only include VM debugger in output when using interactive debugging, suppress
+  it when only using coverage.
 
 ## 0.6.19
 
diff --git a/pkgs/test_core/lib/src/runner/configuration/reporters.dart b/pkgs/test_core/lib/src/runner/configuration/reporters.dart
index 1f8a1fd3f..c21cffacf 100644
--- a/pkgs/test_core/lib/src/runner/configuration/reporters.dart
+++ b/pkgs/test_core/lib/src/runner/configuration/reporters.dart
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ final _allReporters = <String, ReporterDetails>{
     'A machine-readable format (see '
     'https://dart.dev/go/test-docs/json_reporter.md).',
     (config, engine, sink) =>
-        JsonReporter.watch(engine, sink, isDebugRun: config.debug),
+        JsonReporter.watch(engine, sink, isDebugRun: config.pauseAfterLoad),
   ),
   'silent': ReporterDetails(
     'A reporter with no output. '