diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/activitybar/activityAction.ts b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/activitybar/activityAction.ts
index 3aca93fe8b26bd05cc87c7403edf1217042bb4e4..6c5556c0a7423a66d003496c75a349212a13b027 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/activitybar/activityAction.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/activitybar/activityAction.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import {DelayedDragHandler} from 'vs/base/browser/dnd';
 import {Action} from 'vs/base/common/actions';
 import {BaseActionItem} from 'vs/base/browser/ui/actionbar/actionbar';
 import {IEmitterEvent} from 'vs/base/common/eventEmitter';
-import {ProgressBadge, TextBadge, NumberBadge, IBadge} from 'vs/workbench/services/activity/common/activityService';
+import {ProgressBadge, TextBadge, NumberBadge, IconBadge, IBadge} from 'vs/workbench/services/activity/common/activityService';
 
 export class ActivityAction extends Action {
 
@@ -144,6 +144,11 @@ export class ActivityActionItem extends BaseActionItem {
 				this.$badge.show();
 			}
 
+			// Text
+			else if (badge instanceof IconBadge) {
+				this.$badge.show();
+			}
+
 			// Progress
 			else if (badge instanceof ProgressBadge) {
 				this.$badge.show();
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/media/debug.contribution.css b/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/media/debug.contribution.css
index 39e7981ba6a29e2028755fd9b6c1cdfd32c4f684..e50e84f6aeac1e8351201ec05be6188565a4bdf2 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/media/debug.contribution.css
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/media/debug.contribution.css
@@ -9,6 +9,30 @@
 	background-image: url('data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSIzMiIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMiIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDMyIDMyIj48c3R5bGUgdHlwZT0idGV4dC9jc3MiPi5pY29uLWNhbnZhcy10cmFuc3BhcmVudHtvcGFjaXR5OjA7ZmlsbDojRjZGNkY2O30gLmljb24td2hpdGV7ZmlsbDojRkZGRkZGO308L3N0eWxlPjxwYXRoIGNsYXNzPSJpY29uLWNhbnZhcy10cmFuc3BhcmVudCIgZD0iTTMyIDMySDBWMGgzMnYzMnoiIGlkPSJjYW52YXMiLz48ZyBpZD0iaWNvbkJnIj48cGF0aCBjbGFzcz0iaWNvbi13aGl0ZSIgZD0iTTE3IDE5LjQ4OHY0LjI0OGMwIC40NjIuMDkgMS4yNjQtLjM3MyAxLjI2NEgxNXYtMWgxdi0zLjE5bC0uMTczLS4xOGMtMS40NTMgMS4yMDUtMy41MjggMS4yNDgtNC42Ny4xMDhDMTAgMTkuNTc4IDEwLjExOCAxOCAxMS4zNzYgMTZIOHYxSDd2LTEuNjI3QzcgMTQuOTEgNy44MDIgMTUgOC4yNjQgMTVoNC4xMDVMMTcgMTkuNDg4ek0xNCA5aC0xVjhoMS45NTVjLjQ2IDAgMS4wNDUuMjIgMS4wNDUuNjgydjMuMzQ1bC43MzYuODc1Yy4xOC0uOTczLjg5LTEuNzEgMS45MTQtMS43MS4xNDMgMCAuMzUuMDE0LjM1LjA0VjloMXYyLjYxOGMwIC4xMTcuMjY1LjM4Mi4zODIuMzgySDIzdjFoLTIuMjMzYy4wMjcgMCAuMDQyLjE1NC4wNDIuMjk4IDAgMS4wMjUtLjc0IDEuNzUzLTEuNzEyIDEuOTMybC44NzUuNzdIMjMuMzE4Yy40NjIgMCAuNjgyLjU4My42ODIgMS4wNDVWMTloLTF2LTFoLTIuNTJMMTQgMTEuNjk4Vjl6TTE2IDRDOS4zNzMgNCA0IDkuMzczIDQgMTZzNS4zNzMgMTIgMTIgMTIgMTItNS4zNzMgMTItMTJTMjIuNjI3IDQgMTYgNHptMTAgMTJjMCAyLjM5Ny0uODUgNC42LTIuMjYyIDYuMzI0TDkuNjc2IDguMjYyQzExLjQgNi44NSAxMy42MDIgNiAxNiA2YzUuNTE0IDAgMTAgNC40ODYgMTAgMTB6TTYgMTZjMC0yLjM5OC44NS00LjYgMi4yNjItNi4zMjRMMjIuMzI0IDIzLjc0QzIwLjYgMjUuMTUgMTguMzk3IDI2IDE2IDI2Yy01LjUxNCAwLTEwLTQuNDg2LTEwLTEweiIvPjwvZz48L3N2Zz4=');
 }
 
+.debug-viewlet-paused-label > .badge-content {
+	background-color: #007ACC;
+}
+
+.debug-viewlet-paused-label > .badge-content:before {
+	border: 3px solid white;
+	border-top: none;
+	border-bottom: none;
+	content: '';
+	display: block;
+	position: absolute;
+	top: 5px;
+	left: 5px;
+	width: 2px;
+	height: 8px;
+}
+
+.debug-viewlet-running-label > .badge-content {
+	background-color: #007ACC;
+	background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHdpZHRoPSIxNCIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxNCIgdmlld0JveD0iMiAyIDE0IDE0IiBlbmFibGUtYmFja2dyb3VuZD0ibmV3IDIgMiAxNCAxNCI+PHBhdGggZmlsbD0iI2ZmZiIgZD0iTTkgMTZjLTMuODYgMC03LTMuMTQtNy03czMuMTQtNyA3LTdjMy44NTkgMCA3IDMuMTQxIDcgN3MtMy4xNDEgNy03IDd6bTAtMTIuNmMtMy4wODggMC01LjYgMi41MTMtNS42IDUuNnMyLjUxMiA1LjYgNS42IDUuNiA1LjYtMi41MTIgNS42LTUuNi0yLjUxMi01LjYtNS42LTUuNnptMy44NiA3LjFsLTMuMTYtMS44OTZ2LTMuODA0aC0xLjR2NC41OTZsMy44NCAyLjMwNS43Mi0xLjIwMXoiLz48L3N2Zz4=");
+	background-position: center center;
+	background-repeat: no-repeat;
+}
+
 .monaco-editor .debug-top-stack-frame-line {
 	background: rgba(255, 255, 0, 0.35);
 }
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/electron-browser/debug.contribution.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/electron-browser/debug.contribution.ts
index cf389e800e9bf99c06ac575373128bbbf7417562..37da5d166c9d8ffe3e56b540e069f96bf4409f3f 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/electron-browser/debug.contribution.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/electron-browser/debug.contribution.ts
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
 import 'vs/css!../browser/media/debug.contribution';
 import 'vs/css!../browser/media/debugHover';
 import nls = require('vs/nls');
-import { CommonEditorRegistry, ContextKey, EditorActionDescriptor } from 'vs/editor/common/editorCommonExtensions';
+import lifecycle = require('vs/base/common/lifecycle');
 import { KeyMod, KeyCode } from 'vs/base/common/keyCodes';
+import { CommonEditorRegistry, ContextKey, EditorActionDescriptor } from 'vs/editor/common/editorCommonExtensions';
 import { SyncActionDescriptor } from 'vs/platform/actions/common/actions';
 import platform = require('vs/platform/platform');
 import { registerSingleton } from 'vs/platform/instantiation/common/extensions';
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ import debugwidget = require('vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/debugActionsWidge
 import service = require('vs/workbench/parts/debug/electron-browser/debugService');
 import { DebugEditorContribution } from 'vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/debugEditorContribution';
 import { IViewletService } from 'vs/workbench/services/viewlet/common/viewletService';
+import { IActivityService, IconBadge, NumberBadge, ProgressBadge } from 'vs/workbench/services/activity/common/activityService';
 import { IWorkbenchEditorService } from 'vs/workbench/services/editor/common/editorService';
 
 import IDebugService = debug.IDebugService;
@@ -43,6 +45,41 @@ class OpenDebugViewletAction extends viewlet.ToggleViewletAction {
 	}
 }
 
+class StatusUpdater implements wbext.IWorkbenchContribution {
+	static ID = 'Monaco.IDE.UI.Viewlets.DebugViewlet.Workbench.StatusUpdater';
+
+	private toDispose: lifecycle.IDisposable[];
+	private pausedBadge: ProgressBadge;
+	private runningBadge: IconBadge;
+
+	constructor(
+		@IActivityService private activityService: IActivityService,
+		@IDebugService private debugService: IDebugService
+	) {
+		this.pausedBadge = new IconBadge(() => { return nls.localize('debugPaused', "Paused"); });
+		this.runningBadge = new ProgressBadge(() => { return nls.localize('debugRunning', "Running"); });
+		this.toDispose = [this.debugService.addListener2(debug.ServiceEvents.STATE_CHANGED, () => this.onDebugServiceStateChange())];
+	}
+
+	private onDebugServiceStateChange(): void {
+		if (this.debugService.getState() === debug.State.Stopped) {
+			this.activityService.showActivity(debug.VIEWLET_ID, this.pausedBadge, 'debug-viewlet-paused-label');
+		} else if (this.debugService.getState() === debug.State.Running) {
+			this.activityService.showActivity(debug.VIEWLET_ID, this.runningBadge, 'debug-viewlet-running-label');
+		} else {
+			this.activityService.clearActivity(debug.VIEWLET_ID);
+		}
+	}
+
+	public getId(): string {
+		return StatusUpdater.ID;
+	}
+
+	public dispose(): void {
+		this.toDispose = lifecycle.disposeAll(this.toDispose);
+	}
+}
+
 EditorBrowserRegistry.registerEditorContribution(DebugEditorContribution);
 CommonEditorRegistry.registerEditorAction(new EditorActionDescriptor(dbgactions.ToggleBreakpointAction, dbgactions.ToggleBreakpointAction.ID, nls.localize('toggleBreakpointAction', "Debug: Toggle Breakpoint"), {
 	context: ContextKey.EditorTextFocus,
@@ -100,3 +137,8 @@ registry.registerWorkbenchAction(new SyncActionDescriptor(dbgactions.AddFunction
 
 // register service
 registerSingleton(IDebugService, service.DebugService);
+
+// Register StatusUpdater
+(<wbext.IWorkbenchContributionsRegistry>platform.Registry.as(wbext.Extensions.Workbench)).registerWorkbenchContribution(
+	StatusUpdater
+);
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/activity/common/activityService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/activity/common/activityService.ts
index 0521e701159d26a845142d4fa37cd71d034adf57..9376e201dca16e2fdce48d95a16281078c15e22e 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/activity/common/activityService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/activity/common/activityService.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,13 @@ export class TextBadge extends BaseBadge {
 	}
 }
 
+export class IconBadge extends BaseBadge {
+
+	constructor(descriptorFn: (args: any) => string) {
+		super(descriptorFn);
+	}
+}
+
 export class ProgressBadge extends BaseBadge {
 }