diff --git a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/mach_commands.py b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/mach_commands.py
index cfcc8f56afa..39c1753eb21 100644
--- a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/mach_commands.py
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/mach_commands.py
@@ -594,7 +594,9 @@ class RunProgram(MachCommandBase):
         help='Command-line arguments to pass to the program.')
     @CommandArgument('+remote', '+r', action='store_true',
         help='Do not pass the -no-remote argument by default.')
-    def run(self, params, remote):
+    @CommandArgument('+background', '+b', action='store_true',
+        help='Do not pass the -foreground argument by default on Mac')
+    def run(self, params, remote, background):
         try:
             args = [self.get_binary_path('app')]
         except Exception as e:
@@ -604,6 +606,8 @@ class RunProgram(MachCommandBase):
             return 1
         if not remote:
             args.append('-no-remote')
+        if not background and sys.platform == 'darwin':
+            args.append('-foreground')
         if params:
             args.extend(params)
         return self.run_process(args=args, ensure_exit_code=False,
@@ -619,7 +623,9 @@ class DebugProgram(MachCommandBase):
         help='Command-line arguments to pass to the program.')
     @CommandArgument('+remote', '+r', action='store_true',
         help='Do not pass the -no-remote argument by default')
-    def debug(self, params, remote):
+    @CommandArgument('+background', '+b', action='store_true',
+        help='Do not pass the -foreground argument by default on Mac')
+    def debug(self, params, remote, background):
         import which
         try:
             debugger = which.which('gdb')
@@ -636,6 +642,8 @@ class DebugProgram(MachCommandBase):
             return 1
         if not remote:
             args.append('-no-remote')
+        if not background and sys.platform == 'darwin':
+            args.append('-foreground')
         if params:
             args.extend(params)
         return self.run_process(args=args, ensure_exit_code=False,