diff --git a/contrib/!lang/clojure/packages.el b/contrib/!lang/clojure/packages.el
index ab1fa3678..ea31bf9b3 100644
--- a/contrib/!lang/clojure/packages.el
+++ b/contrib/!lang/clojure/packages.el
@@ -145,6 +145,13 @@ the focus."
         (message "Cider REPL clojure-mode font-lock: %s"
                  (if cider-repl-use-clojure-font-lock "ON" "OFF")))
 
+      (defun spacemacs/cider-debug-setup ()
+        (when (eq dotspacemacs-editing-style 'vim)
+          (evil-make-overriding-map cider--debug-mode-map 'normal)
+          (evil-normalize-keymaps)))
+
+      (add-hook 'cider--debug-mode-hook 'spacemacs/cider-debug-setup)
+
       (evilify cider-stacktrace-mode cider-stacktrace-mode-map
                (kbd "C-j") 'cider-stacktrace-next-cause
                (kbd "C-k") 'cider-stacktrace-previous-cause