diff --git a/chart/templates/backend.yaml b/chart/templates/backend.yaml
index 7097636b30..e61252965f 100644
--- a/chart/templates/backend.yaml
+++ b/chart/templates/backend.yaml
@@ -147,6 +147,12 @@ spec:
         - name: op
           image: {{ .Values.backend_image }}
           imagePullPolicy: {{ .Values.backend_pull_policy }}
+          {{- if .Values.backend_op_command_override }}
+          command:
+            {{- range .Values.backend_op_command_override }}
+            - {{ . | quote }}
+            {{- end }}
+          {{- else }}
           command:
               - gunicorn
               - btrixcloud.main_op:app_root
@@ -158,7 +164,7 @@ spec:
               - "{{ .Values.backend_workers | default 1 }}"
               - --worker-class
               - uvicorn.workers.UvicornWorker
-
+          {{- end }}
           envFrom:
             - configMapRef:
                 name: backend-env-config
diff --git a/docs/develop/backend-hot-reload-and-debugger.md b/docs/develop/backend-hot-reload-and-debugger.md
index dffc8c1c6f..03c87a2b7e 100644
--- a/docs/develop/backend-hot-reload-and-debugger.md
+++ b/docs/develop/backend-hot-reload-and-debugger.md
@@ -26,19 +26,25 @@ skaffold dev
 ```
 
 This will deploy Browsertrix into the cluster and port forward the API with hot reloading. 
-Navigate to `localhost:8000/api/redoc` or `localhost:8000/api/docs` to see the documentation.
-Changing any code in `backend/btrixcloud` will trigger a reload.
+
+Navigate to `localhost:8000/api/redoc` or `localhost:8000/api/docs` to see the documentation 
+for the api container.
+
+Navigate to `http://localhost:8756/redoc` or `http://localhost:8756/docs` to see the documentation
+for the op container.
+
+Changing any code in `backend/btrixcloud` will trigger a reload in both the op and api containers.
 
 ### Debugger
 
 Interactive debugging uses [debugpy](https://github.com/microsoft/debugpy), which 
 works on VSCode but not PyCharm.
 
-Use this debug configuration in VSCode:
+Use these debug configurations in VSCode:
 
 ```JSON
 {
-    "name": "Attach to Browsertrix Backend",
+    "name": "Attach to Browsertrix Backend API",
     "type": "debugpy",
     "request": "attach",
     "connect": {
@@ -52,6 +58,22 @@ Use this debug configuration in VSCode:
         }
     ],
     "justMyCode": false
+},
+{
+    "name": "Attach to Browsertrix Backend OP",
+    "type": "debugpy",
+    "request": "attach",
+    "connect": {
+        "host": "127.0.0.1",
+        "port": 5679
+    },
+    "pathMappings": [
+        {
+        "localRoot": "${workspaceFolder}/backend/btrixcloud/",
+        "remoteRoot": "/app/btrixcloud/"
+        }
+    ],
+    "justMyCode": false
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/skaffold.yaml b/skaffold.yaml
index 96e870b50a..a156fd7544 100644
--- a/skaffold.yaml
+++ b/skaffold.yaml
@@ -27,6 +27,19 @@ portForward:
   namespace: default
   port: 5678
   localPort: 5678
+# so you can hit the op container on `localhost:8756`
+- resourceType: service
+  resourceName: browsertrix-cloud-backend
+  namespace: default
+  # can't references {{ Values. }} hence hardcoding
+  port: 8756
+  localPort: 8756
+# for the debugger
+- resourceType: deployment
+  resourceName: browsertrix-cloud-backend
+  namespace: default
+  port: 5679
+  localPort: 5679
 deploy:
   helm:
     releases:
@@ -39,6 +52,9 @@ deploy:
         # See https://skaffold.dev/docs/deployers/helm/
         # must do this to make skaffold use local images with helm
         setValues:
+          # we hardcoded this earlier so make sure it has same value
+          # across the helm chart
+          opPort: 8756
           # hot reloading doesn't work with default gunicorn command
           # so need to override to use uvicorn
           # plus need to start the process with debugpy to debug
@@ -51,3 +67,12 @@ deploy:
                 python -m debugpy --listen 0.0.0.0:5678
                 -m uvicorn btrixcloud.main:app_root
                 --reload --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8000
+          backend_op_command_override:
+            - sh
+            - -c
+            -  >
+                pip install --no-input debugpy
+                &&
+                python -m debugpy --listen 0.0.0.0:5679
+                -m uvicorn btrixcloud.main_op:app_root
+                --reload --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8756
\ No newline at end of file