diff --git a/rebar.config b/rebar.config
index 4fc8edae1..1cd36d47c 100644
--- a/rebar.config
+++ b/rebar.config
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 
 {deps,
     [ {gpb, "4.11.2"} %% gpb only used to build, but not for release, pin it here to avoid fetching a wrong version due to rebar plugins scattered in all the deps
+    , {redbug, "2.0.7"}
     , {ehttpc, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/ehttpc", {tag, "0.2.0"}}}
     , {eredis_cluster, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/eredis_cluster", {tag, "0.7.2"}}}
     , {gproc, {git, "https://github.com/uwiger/gproc", {tag, "0.8.0"}}}
diff --git a/rebar.config.erl b/rebar.config.erl
index 226597967..c94f80c18 100644
--- a/rebar.config.erl
+++ b/rebar.config.erl
@@ -257,6 +257,7 @@ relx_apps(ReleaseType) ->
     , inets
     , compiler
     , runtime_tools
+    , redbug
     , cuttlefish
     , emqx
     , {mnesia, load}