diff --git a/Tools/autotest/autotest.py b/Tools/autotest/autotest.py
index e228aeaf9f..a31820e7bd 100755
--- a/Tools/autotest/autotest.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/autotest.py
@@ -484,6 +484,7 @@ def run_step(step):
         "use_map": opts.map,
         "valgrind": opts.valgrind,
         "gdb": opts.gdb,
+        "gdb_no_tui": opts.gdb_no_tui,
         "lldb": opts.lldb,
         "gdbserver": opts.gdbserver,
         "breakpoints": opts.breakpoint,
@@ -902,6 +903,10 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
                          default=False,
                          action='store_true',
                          help='run ArduPilot binaries under gdb')
+    group_sim.add_option("--gdb-no-tui",
+                         default=False,
+                         action='store_true',
+                         help='when running under GDB do NOT start in TUI mode')
     group_sim.add_option("--gdbserver",
                          default=False,
                          action='store_true',
diff --git a/Tools/autotest/common.py b/Tools/autotest/common.py
index a294f2f450..ce1f316632 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/common.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/common.py
@@ -1196,6 +1196,7 @@ class AutoTest(ABC):
                  binary,
                  valgrind=False,
                  gdb=False,
+                 gdb_no_tui=False,
                  speedup=None,
                  frame=None,
                  params=None,
@@ -1220,6 +1221,7 @@ class AutoTest(ABC):
         self.binary = binary
         self.valgrind = valgrind
         self.gdb = gdb
+        self.gdb_no_tui = gdb_no_tui
         self.lldb = lldb
         self.frame = frame
         self.params = params
@@ -5929,6 +5931,7 @@ Also, ignores heartbeats not from our target system'''
             "breakpoints": self.breakpoints,
             "disable_breakpoints": self.disable_breakpoints,
             "gdb": self.gdb,
+            "gdb_no_tui": self.gdb_no_tui,
             "gdbserver": self.gdbserver,
             "lldb": self.lldb,
             "home": self.sitl_home(),
diff --git a/Tools/autotest/pysim/util.py b/Tools/autotest/pysim/util.py
index aa0a05c03f..f0a01d3346 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/pysim/util.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/pysim/util.py
@@ -278,6 +278,7 @@ def kill_mac_terminal():
 def start_SITL(binary,
                valgrind=False,
                gdb=False,
+               gdb_no_tui=False,
                wipe=False,
                synthetic_clock=True,
                home=None,
@@ -332,6 +333,8 @@ def start_SITL(binary,
             f.write("b %s\n" % (breakpoint,))
         if disable_breakpoints:
             f.write("disable\n")
+        if not gdb_no_tui:
+            f.write("tui enable\n")
         f.write("r\n")
         f.close()
         if sys.platform == "darwin" and os.getenv('DISPLAY'):