diff --git a/nova/cmd/__init__.py b/nova/cmd/__init__.py
index 580a3893c1..39f834aeff 100644
--- a/nova/cmd/__init__.py
+++ b/nova/cmd/__init__.py
@@ -30,8 +30,9 @@ if ('eventlet' in sys.modules and
 os.environ['EVENTLET_NO_GREENDNS'] = 'yes'
 
 import eventlet
+from nova import debugger
 
-if '--remote_debug-host' in sys.argv and '--remote_debug-port' in sys.argv:
+if debugger.enabled():
     # turn off thread patching to enable the remote debugger
     eventlet.monkey_patch(os=False, thread=False)
 else:
diff --git a/nova/config.py b/nova/config.py
index 1dbbfb8978..6cad3485f8 100644
--- a/nova/config.py
+++ b/nova/config.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 from oslo.config import cfg
 
+from nova import debugger
 from nova.openstack.common.db import options
 from nova import paths
 from nova import rpc
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ def parse_args(argv, default_config_files=None):
     options.set_defaults(sql_connection=_DEFAULT_SQL_CONNECTION,
                          sqlite_db='nova.sqlite')
     rpc.set_defaults(control_exchange='nova')
+    debugger.register_cli_opts()
     cfg.CONF(argv[1:],
              project='nova',
              version=version.version_string(),
diff --git a/nova/debugger.py b/nova/debugger.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..77ca74188d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nova/debugger.py
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+# Copyright 2010 United States Government as represented by the
+# Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
+# Copyright 2011 Justin Santa Barbara
+# All Rights Reserved.
+#
+#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+#    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+#    a copy of the License at
+#
+#         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+#    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+#    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+#    under the License.
+
+# NOTE(markmc): this is imported before monkey patching in nova.cmd
+# so we avoid extra imports here
+
+import sys
+
+
+def enabled():
+    return ('--remote_debug-host' in sys.argv and
+            '--remote_debug-port' in sys.argv)
+
+
+def register_cli_opts():
+    from oslo.config import cfg
+
+    cli_opts = [
+        cfg.StrOpt('host',
+                    help='Debug host (IP or name) to connect. Note '
+                        'that using the remote debug option changes how '
+                        'Nova uses the eventlet library to support async IO. '
+                        'This could result in failures that do not occur '
+                        'under normal operation. Use at your own risk.'),
+
+        cfg.IntOpt('port',
+                    help='Debug port to connect. Note '
+                        'that using the remote debug option changes how '
+                        'Nova uses the eventlet library to support async IO. '
+                        'This could result in failures that do not occur '
+                        'under normal operation. Use at your own risk.')
+
+    ]
+
+    cfg.CONF.register_cli_opts(cli_opts, 'remote_debug')
+
+
+def init():
+    from oslo.config import cfg
+    CONF = cfg.CONF
+
+    # NOTE(markmc): gracefully handle the CLI options not being registered
+    if 'remote_debug' not in CONF:
+        return
+
+    if not (CONF.remote_debug.host and CONF.remote_debug.port):
+        return
+
+    from nova.openstack.common.gettextutils import _
+    from nova.openstack.common import log as logging
+    LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+    LOG.debug(_('Listening on %(host)s:%(port)s for debug connection'),
+              {'host': CONF.remote_debug.host,
+               'port': CONF.remote_debug.port})
+
+    from pydev import pydevd
+    pydevd.settrace(host=CONF.remote_debug.host,
+                    port=CONF.remote_debug.port,
+                    stdoutToServer=False,
+                    stderrToServer=False)
+
+    LOG.warn(_('WARNING: Using the remote debug option changes how '
+               'Nova uses the eventlet library to support async IO. This '
+               'could result in failures that do not occur under normal '
+               'operation. Use at your own risk.'))
diff --git a/nova/service.py b/nova/service.py
index 21a930d766..5cae3b3423 100644
--- a/nova/service.py
+++ b/nova/service.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ from oslo import messaging
 from nova import baserpc
 from nova import conductor
 from nova import context
+from nova import debugger
 from nova import exception
 from nova.objects import base as objects_base
 from nova.openstack.common.gettextutils import _
@@ -112,27 +113,9 @@ service_opts = [
                help='Maximum time since last check-in for up service'),
     ]
 
-cli_opts = [
-        cfg.StrOpt('host',
-                    help='Debug host (IP or name) to connect. Note '
-                        'that using the remote debug option changes how '
-                        'Nova uses the eventlet library to support async IO. '
-                        'This could result in failures that do not occur '
-                        'under normal operation. Use at your own risk.'),
-
-        cfg.IntOpt('port',
-                    help='Debug port to connect. Note '
-                        'that using the remote debug option changes how '
-                        'Nova uses the eventlet library to support async IO. '
-                        'This could result in failures that do not occur '
-                        'under normal operation. Use at your own risk.')
-
-    ]
-
 CONF = cfg.CONF
 CONF.register_opts(service_opts)
 CONF.import_opt('host', 'nova.netconf')
-CONF.register_cli_opts(cli_opts, 'remote_debug')
 
 
 class Service(service.Service):
@@ -279,20 +262,8 @@ class Service(service.Service):
             periodic_enable = CONF.periodic_enable
         if periodic_fuzzy_delay is None:
             periodic_fuzzy_delay = CONF.periodic_fuzzy_delay
-        if CONF.remote_debug.host and CONF.remote_debug.port:
-            from pydev import pydevd
-            LOG = logging.getLogger('nova')
-            LOG.debug(_('Listening on %(host)s:%(port)s for debug connection'),
-                {'host': CONF.remote_debug.host,
-                 'port': CONF.remote_debug.port})
-            pydevd.settrace(host=CONF.remote_debug.host,
-                            port=CONF.remote_debug.port,
-                            stdoutToServer=False,
-                            stderrToServer=False)
-            LOG.warn(_('WARNING: Using the remote debug option changes how '
-                'Nova uses the eventlet library to support async IO. This '
-                'could result in failures that do not occur under normal '
-                'operation. Use at your own risk.'))
+
+        debugger.init()
 
         service_obj = cls(host, binary, topic, manager,
                           report_interval=report_interval,
diff --git a/tools/xenserver/vm_vdi_cleaner.py b/tools/xenserver/vm_vdi_cleaner.py
index 58f693aa21..b460e51c99 100755
--- a/tools/xenserver/vm_vdi_cleaner.py
+++ b/tools/xenserver/vm_vdi_cleaner.py
@@ -31,11 +31,6 @@ from nova import config
 from nova import context
 from nova import db
 from nova import exception
-
-# NOTE(philip-schwartz) Added service import to fix issue where importing
-# xenapi service would cause an ArgsAlreadyParsedError exception
-from nova import service
-
 from nova.openstack.common import timeutils
 from nova.virt import virtapi
 from nova.virt.xenapi import driver as xenapi_driver