diff --git a/configure.py b/configure.py
index 704e35d6b6f8c8..0e72ed24ccecbe 100755
--- a/configure.py
+++ b/configure.py
@@ -629,6 +629,12 @@
     default=False,
     help='compile V8 with minimal optimizations and with runtime checks')
 
+parser.add_option('--v8-with-dchecks',
+    action='store_true',
+    dest='v8_with_dchecks',
+    default=False,
+    help='compile V8 with debug checks and runtime debugging features enabled')
+
 parser.add_option('--node-builtin-modules-path',
     action='store',
     dest='node_builtin_modules_path',
@@ -1228,6 +1234,7 @@ def configure_v8(o):
   o['variables']['v8_enable_gdbjit'] = 1 if options.gdb else 0
   o['variables']['v8_no_strict_aliasing'] = 1  # Work around compiler bugs.
   o['variables']['v8_optimized_debug'] = 0 if options.v8_non_optimized_debug else 1
+  o['variables']['dcheck_always_on'] = 1 if options.v8_with_dchecks else 0
   o['variables']['v8_random_seed'] = 0  # Use a random seed for hash tables.
   o['variables']['v8_promise_internal_field_count'] = 1 # Add internal field to promises for async hooks.
   o['variables']['v8_use_siphash'] = 0 if options.without_siphash else 1