diff --git a/containers/eic/Dockerfile b/containers/eic/Dockerfile
index 1d212b74a..1a3b85460 100644
--- a/containers/eic/Dockerfile
+++ b/containers/eic/Dockerfile
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ ARG ENV=xl
 ENV SPACK_ENV=/opt/spack-environment/${ENV}
 ARG SPACK_FLAGS="--backtrace"
 ARG SPACK_INSTALL_FLAGS="--no-check-signature --show-log-on-error --yes-to-all"
+ARG SPACK_BUILDER_INSTALL_FLAGS="${SPACK_INSTALL_FLAGS}"
 ENV SPACK_COLOR="always"
 ENV GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0
 
@@ -79,7 +80,13 @@ RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/ccache,id=ccache-${TARGETPLATFORM}              \
     <<EOF
 set -e
 export CCACHE_DIR=/ccache
-spack ${SPACK_FLAGS} install ${SPACK_INSTALL_FLAGS}
+if echo "${SPACK_BUILDER_INSTALL_FLAGS}" | grep -q -- '--debug-source\|--debug-symbols'; then
+  DEBUG_SCOPED_PKGS=$(yq -r '.spack.packages | keys | .[]' "${SPACK_ENV}/spack.yaml" | grep -v '^compiler-wrapper$')
+  if [ -n "${DEBUG_SCOPED_PKGS}" ]; then
+    spack ${SPACK_FLAGS} install ${SPACK_BUILDER_INSTALL_FLAGS} --no-cache ${DEBUG_SCOPED_PKGS}
+  fi
+fi
+spack ${SPACK_FLAGS} install ${SPACK_BUILDER_INSTALL_FLAGS}
 spack clean --downloads --stage
 ccache --show-stats
 ccache --zero-stats
@@ -195,7 +202,13 @@ RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/ccache,id=ccache-${TARGETPLATFORM}              \
     <<EOF
 set -e
 export CCACHE_DIR=/ccache
-spack ${SPACK_FLAGS} install ${SPACK_INSTALL_FLAGS}
+if echo "${SPACK_BUILDER_INSTALL_FLAGS}" | grep -q -- '--debug-source\|--debug-symbols'; then
+  DEBUG_SCOPED_PKGS=$(yq -r '.spack.packages | keys | .[]' "${SPACK_ENV}/spack.yaml" | grep -v '^compiler-wrapper$')
+  if [ -n "${DEBUG_SCOPED_PKGS}" ]; then
+    spack ${SPACK_FLAGS} install ${SPACK_BUILDER_INSTALL_FLAGS} --no-cache ${DEBUG_SCOPED_PKGS}
+  fi
+fi
+spack ${SPACK_FLAGS} install ${SPACK_BUILDER_INSTALL_FLAGS}
 spack clean --downloads --stage
 spack gc --yes-to-all go go-bootstrap rust rust-bootstrap py-setuptools-rust py-maturin
 ccache --show-stats
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index 79af4e9f9..a3b87826f 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ The EIC container infrastructure provides scientific software environments for t
 - [Build Pipeline](build-pipeline.md) - GitHub Actions workflow details
 - [Building Locally](building-locally.md) - Instructions for local builds with caching
 - [Spack Environment](spack-environment.md) - Spack configuration and packages
+- [Debuggable Installations](debuggable-installations.md) - Debugging mechanism for Spack packages
 
 ## Container Images
 
diff --git a/docs/debuggable-installations.md b/docs/debuggable-installations.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d96d2776
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/debuggable-installations.md
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+# Debuggable Installations & OCI-backed debuginfod
+
+This document explains the debuggable-installations framework used by the `dbg` and `xl` Spack environments:
+
+* **Capture**: Spack captures DWARF-referenced sources and symbols during installation.
+* **Store**: The artifacts are pushed to existing OCI registries (EIC's GHCR/eicweb).
+* **Retrieve**: `gdb`/`debuginfod` fetches them on demand, without requiring the original build directory.
+
+## Why this exists
+
+Debug info embeds the machine-specific, build-time source path in the binary's DWARF data. Spack removes its temporary build directory after installation, leaving that path invalid and making the binary difficult to debug later, while making the debug info non-redistributable due to machine-specific metadata.
+
+Linux distributions address this with `debuginfod`, which serves debug symbols and source from filesystem-based package archives. Spack's buildcache is stored in OCI registries (GHCR/eicweb), which debuginfod cannot access directly.
+
+```mermaid
+flowchart LR
+    subgraph Debian["Debian / Ubuntu / Fedora"]
+        direction TB
+        A1[Package archive<br/>filesystem]
+        A2[debuginfod<br/>scans it directly]
+        A3[gdb fetches over HTTP]
+        A1 --> A2 --> A3
+    end
+
+    subgraph Spack["Spack, before this framework"]
+        direction TB
+        B1[Binaries in OCI registry<br/>GHCR / eicweb]
+        B2[debuginfod: can't scan<br/>a registry]
+        B3[gdb: no source, no symbols]
+        B1 --> B2 --> B3
+    end
+
+    Debian ~~~ Spack
+```
+
+This framework closes that gap:
+
+* Makes DWARF paths machine-agnostic.
+* Captures source and symbol data at install time and after the fact.
+* Stores it in the same OCI registries used by the build cache, tagged by build ID.
+* Resolves GDB build-ID lookups against OCI data over HTTPS via a lightweight debuginfod-compatible adapter.
+
+## Cherry-picks
+
+Enabled via `spack.sh` and `spack-packages.sh`:
+
+```bash
+# spack.sh
+## 2ba3505dd8985a0fc86695e43cae0020fc50daa8: feat: debuggable installations (source hook, symbol
+##   splitting, gdbinit, OCI autopush) plus debuginfod, squashed and cherry-picked via open draft
+##   PR spack/spack#52949
+
+# spack-packages.sh
+## fdd30418cfd404a8de135c5fcfc349d5de87f84b: compiler-wrapper: add 1.1.0-build-id prototype version (spack-packages#6214)
+## 5945d81a8359eed559ec60b1be9151de57473f51: elfutils: patch debuginfod_find_source to accept ./-relative filenames (spack-packages#6259)
+```
+
+## Environment wiring
+
+`compiler-wrapper@1.1.0-build-id` and `RelWithDebInfo` overrides for ROOT/Geant4 and dependents in `xl/spack.yaml` and `xl/epic/spack.yaml`, with `elfutils@0.194+debuginfod` GDB support:
+
+```yaml
+packages:
+  compiler-wrapper:
+    require:
+    - '@1.1.0-build-id'
+  root:
+    require:
+    - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+  geant4:
+    require:
+    - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+  acts:
+    require:
+    - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+  # ...similarly for celeritas, dd4hep, edm4hep, hepmc3, podio, sherpa
+  professor:
+    require:
+    - cflags=-g
+    - cxxflags=-g
+  pythia8:
+    require:
+    - cflags=-g
+    - cxxflags=-g
+specs:
+- gdb ^elfutils@0.194+debuginfod
+- ...
+```
+
+## Full pipeline
+
+```mermaid
+flowchart TB
+    subgraph Build["scripts/build-eic.sh (ENV=dbg or xl)"]
+        F1["SPACK_BUILDER_INSTALL_FLAGS =<br/>SPACK_INSTALL_FLAGS + --debug-source --debug-symbols"]
+    end
+
+    Build -->|--build-arg| Docker
+
+    subgraph Env["spack.yaml (dbg/xl)"]
+        E1["compiler-wrapper:<br/>require '@1.1.0-build-id'<br/>(cherry-pick spack/spack-packages#6214)"]
+    end
+
+    subgraph Wrapper["spack/compiler-wrapper#19, cc.sh"]
+        W1["intercepts every compile/link call"]
+        W2["injects -ffile-prefix-map"]
+        W3["injects --build-id / -Wl,--build-id"]
+        W1 --> W2
+        W1 --> W3
+    end
+
+    E1 -.->|pins version used by| Wrapper
+
+    subgraph Docker["containers/eic/Dockerfile — builder track"]
+        D1["spack install $SPACK_BUILDER_INSTALL_FLAGS<br/>(compiles for real, dbg/xl-scoped)"]
+        D2["new_installer.py phase.execute()<br/>(cherry-pick spack/spack#52949)<br/>routed through cc.sh"]
+        D3["install_debug_artifacts()<br/>split_debug_symbols()<br/>write_gdbinit()<br/>(cherry-pick spack/spack#52949)"]
+        D1 --> D2
+        D2 -->|"machine-agnostic DWARF paths + build-id already embedded)"| D3
+    end
+
+    Wrapper -.->|"cc.sh invoked for<br/>every compile unit"| D2
+
+    D3 -->|writes to| Cache["~/.spack/debug-sources/&lt;pkg&gt;-&lt;ver&gt;-&lt;hash&gt;/<br/>captured source tree, symbols/.build-id/, gdbinit"]
+
+    Cache -->|install completes| Hook["hooks/autopush.py :: post_install()<br/>(cherry-pick spack/spack#52949)"]
+
+    subgraph Hook_detail["for each autopush:true mirror (eicweb, ghcr)"]
+        H1["1. uploader.push_or_raise()<br/>tag: pkg-ver-hash.spack (always)"]
+        H2["2. push_debug_artifacts()<br/>tag: debuginfo-build-id (cherry-pick spack/spack#52949)"]
+    end
+
+    Hook --> Hook_detail
+    Hook_detail -->|OCI push| Registry[("GHCR / eicweb<br/>OCI registry")]
+
+    Registry --> R1["pkg-ver-hash.spack<br/>(regular buildcache)"]
+    Registry --> R2["debuginfo-build-id<br/>layers: .debug + source.tar.gz (new)"]
+
+    R1 -->|"--use-buildcache only<br/>(unchanged behavior)"| Runtime["Runtime image stages<br/>(all environments)"]
+
+    R2 -->|"spack debug fetch<br/>or spack debug serve"| Adapter
+
+    subgraph Adapter["debuginfod-compatible adapter (spack debug serve)"]
+        A1["ThreadingHTTPServer<br/>127.0.0.1:8002"]
+        A2["resolves /buildid/&lt;id&gt;/{debuginfo,source}<br/>against OCI manifest"]
+        A1 --> A2
+    end
+
+    subgraph Elfutils["elfutils, libdebuginfod client"]
+        EL1["patched: accepts ./-relative<br/>DWARF filenames<br/>(cherry-pick  spack/spack-packages#6259)"]
+    end
+
+    Elfutils -.->|"required on the gdb host<br/>to even send the source request"| GDB
+
+    Adapter -->|"HTTPS: symbols + source"| GDB["gdb, DEBUGINFOD_URLS=http://127.0.0.1:8002<br/>no rebuild needed"]
+```
+
+## Why this is safe for shared infrastructure
+
+* **Opt-in only.** `--debug-source` and `--debug-symbols` are enabled only for `dbg`/`xl`; `push_debug_artifacts` runs only when `debug_source_dir(spec)` exists. `ci`, `prod`, and other environments are unaffected.
+* **Reuses existing infrastructure.** Uses the existing OCI registries (`eicweb`, `ghcr`), `autopush` hook, and credentials from `mirrors.yaml.in`. No new services, registries, or access models.
+* **Build-ID-based keying.** Debug artifacts are keyed by build ID, so the same binary always resolves to the same debug data, regardless of concretization.
+
+
+## Current scope and open questions
+
+* `spack debug serve` is local/on-demand (`--start-daemon`, `--stop-daemon`, `--status`), not a persistent service.
+* A shared persistent debuginfod service vs. local `spack debug serve` instances using shared OCI registries remains an open infrastructure decision.
+
+## Related Documentation
+
+- [Architecture Overview](architecture.md) - Build system structure
+- [Spack Environment](spack-environment.md) - Spack configuration and packages
+- [Build Pipeline](build-pipeline.md) - CI workflow details
diff --git a/scripts/build-eic.sh b/scripts/build-eic.sh
index 8ebdb6325..63ab33071 100755
--- a/scripts/build-eic.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-eic.sh
@@ -204,6 +204,15 @@ for build_type in "${BUILD_TYPES[@]}"; do
   # shellcheck disable=SC2206  # word splitting is intentional: BUILD_OPTIONS is a space-separated list
   build_cmd+=(${BUILD_OPTIONS})
 
+  ## Compute install flags: base flags plus debug capture for the dbg environment
+  SPACK_INSTALL_FLAGS="--no-check-signature --show-log-on-error --yes-to-all"
+  SPACK_BUILDER_INSTALL_FLAGS="${SPACK_INSTALL_FLAGS}"
+  if [ "${ENV}" = "dbg" ] || [ "${ENV}" = "xl" ]; then
+    SPACK_BUILDER_INSTALL_FLAGS="${SPACK_BUILDER_INSTALL_FLAGS} --debug-source --debug-symbols"
+  fi
+  build_cmd+=(--build-arg "SPACK_INSTALL_FLAGS=${SPACK_INSTALL_FLAGS}")
+  build_cmd+=(--build-arg "SPACK_BUILDER_INSTALL_FLAGS=${SPACK_BUILDER_INSTALL_FLAGS}")
+
   ## Output mode: push-by-digest in all CI modes; load locally
   if [ "${CI_MODE}" != "local" ]; then
     ## Push by digest; CI wrapper creates final tags via imagetools create.
diff --git a/spack-environment/dbg/epic/spack.yaml b/spack-environment/dbg/epic/spack.yaml
index 26fe88789..578ab4135 100644
--- a/spack-environment/dbg/epic/spack.yaml
+++ b/spack-environment/dbg/epic/spack.yaml
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ spack:
   - ../../config.yaml
   - ../../packages.yaml
   - ../../view.yaml
+  packages:
+    compiler-wrapper:
+      require:
+      - '@1.1.0-build-id'
   specs:
   - algorithms build_type=Debug
   - edm4eic build_type=Debug
diff --git a/spack-environment/dbg/spack.yaml b/spack-environment/dbg/spack.yaml
index b544d7fb3..54a8fa4f0 100644
--- a/spack-environment/dbg/spack.yaml
+++ b/spack-environment/dbg/spack.yaml
@@ -5,12 +5,16 @@ spack:
   - ../packages.yaml
   - ../packages_root_without_opengl.yaml
   - ../view.yaml
+  packages:
+    compiler-wrapper:
+      require:
+      - '@1.1.0-build-id'
   specs:
   - acts build_type=Debug
   - cmake
   - dd4hep build_type=Debug
   - edm4hep build_type=Debug
-  - gdb
+  - gdb ^elfutils@0.194+debuginfod
   - irt build_type=Debug
   - jana2 build_type=Debug
   - valgrind
diff --git a/spack-environment/xl/epic/spack.yaml b/spack-environment/xl/epic/spack.yaml
index 9b1893160..bb2dc6e25 100644
--- a/spack-environment/xl/epic/spack.yaml
+++ b/spack-environment/xl/epic/spack.yaml
@@ -11,9 +11,34 @@ spack:
       max_dupes:
         epic: 10
   packages:
+    compiler-wrapper:
+      require:
+      - '@1.1.0-build-id'
+    root:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
     geant4:
       require:
       - +opengl
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+    acts:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+    celeritas:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+    dd4hep:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+    edm4hep:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+    hepmc3:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+    podio:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
   specs:
   - algorithms
   - edm4eic
diff --git a/spack-environment/xl/spack.yaml b/spack-environment/xl/spack.yaml
index 4a4452b45..024d09b2d 100644
--- a/spack-environment/xl/spack.yaml
+++ b/spack-environment/xl/spack.yaml
@@ -5,6 +5,45 @@ spack:
   - ../packages.yaml
   - ../packages_root_with_opengl.yaml
   - ../view.yaml
+  packages:
+    compiler-wrapper:
+      require:
+      - '@1.1.0-build-id'
+    root:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+    geant4:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+    acts:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+    celeritas:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+    dd4hep:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+    edm4hep:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+    hepmc3:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+    podio:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
+    professor:
+      require:
+      - cflags=-g
+      - cxxflags=-g
+    pythia8:
+      require:
+      - cflags=-g
+      - cxxflags=-g
+    sherpa:
+      require:
+      - build_type=RelWithDebInfo
   specs:
   - acts
   - actsvg
@@ -38,7 +77,7 @@ spack:
   - fjcontrib
   - fmt
   - g4occt
-  - gdb
+  - gdb ^elfutils@0.194+debuginfod
   - geant4 +opengl
   - gfal2
   - gfal2-util
diff --git a/spack-packages.sh b/spack-packages.sh
index ffe3a8697..817309bbc 100644
--- a/spack-packages.sh
+++ b/spack-packages.sh
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ c44cd71db91d6e6c68cb604dcb87311b49b1bedb
 9385426b49d2c49d026629cb5e96bb5893824e3d
 d1bfcea155bb51220a4baddfcc75a0ba4d4b972c
 f3085a0fd9c327692475fbb72b8b9f738c541358
+fdd30418cfd404a8de135c5fcfc349d5de87f84b
+5945d81a8359eed559ec60b1be9151de57473f51
 ---
 ## Optional hash table with comma-separated file list
 ## For these commits, the cherry-pick will be restricted to the listed files only.
@@ -93,3 +95,5 @@ read -r -d '' SPACKPACKAGES_CHERRYPICKS_FILES <<- \
 ## 9385426b49d2c49d026629cb5e96bb5893824e3d: opencascade: add v7.9.2, v7.9.3
 ## d1bfcea155bb51220a4baddfcc75a0ba4d4b972c: opencascade: add v8.0.0, v8.0.0.p1
 ## f3085a0fd9c327692475fbb72b8b9f738c541358: opencascade: pass tcl library paths to the cmake build to fix mac builds
+## fdd30418cfd404a8de135c5fcfc349d5de87f84b: compiler-wrapper: add 1.1.0-build-id prototype version (spack-packages#6214)
+## 5945d81a8359eed559ec60b1be9151de57473f51: elfutils: patch debuginfod_find_source to accept ./-relative filenames (spack-packages #6259)
diff --git a/spack.sh b/spack.sh
index f3509ca49..6fa11ea4c 100644
--- a/spack.sh
+++ b/spack.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ read -r -d '' SPACK_CHERRYPICKS <<- \
 --- || true
 292b0dcaba3b2a5e3f9668d205d39fee2c715721
 678e506a95b319c573ba7e84703b06d7275ab80e
+a346767b52f3fed1eb8d33ffdbbec6b2dfd2d7d7
 ---
 ## Optional hash table with comma-separated file list
 read -r -d '' SPACK_CHERRYPICKS_FILES <<- \
@@ -21,3 +22,6 @@ read -r -d '' SPACK_CHERRYPICKS_FILES <<- \
 ## [hash]: [description]
 ## 292b0dcaba3b2a5e3f9668d205d39fee2c715721: fix: write created time field with OCI buildcache config
 ## 678e506a95b319c573ba7e84703b06d7275ab80e: fix: don't map prefix to view root for pkgs excluded from view
+## a346767b52f3fed1eb8d33ffdbbec6b2dfd2d7d7: feat: debuggable installations (source hook, symbol
+##   splitting, gdbinit, OCI autopush) plus debuginfod, squashed and cherry-picked via open draft
+##   PR spack/spack#52949