diff --git a/crates/lib/database_queries/src/queries/tts/tts_inference_jobs/list_available_tts_inference_jobs.rs b/crates/lib/database_queries/src/queries/tts/tts_inference_jobs/list_available_tts_inference_jobs.rs
index c1b9ab29a9..6d9286b5cc 100644
--- a/crates/lib/database_queries/src/queries/tts/tts_inference_jobs/list_available_tts_inference_jobs.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/database_queries/src/queries/tts/tts_inference_jobs/list_available_tts_inference_jobs.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ pub struct AvailableTtsInferenceJob {
 
   pub is_from_api: bool,
   pub is_for_twitch: bool,
+  pub is_debug_request: bool,
 
   pub status: JobStatus,
   pub priority_level: u8,
@@ -41,7 +42,8 @@ pub struct AvailableTtsInferenceJob {
 pub async fn list_available_tts_inference_jobs(
   pool: &MySqlPool,
   sort_by_priority: bool,
-  num_records: u32
+  num_records: u32,
+  is_debug_worker: bool
 ) -> AnyhowResult<Vec<AvailableTtsInferenceJob>> {
 
   // NB: This query is awkwardly written twice because this is the only way the
@@ -66,6 +68,7 @@ SELECT
 
   is_from_api,
   is_for_twitch,
+  is_debug_request,
 
   status as `status: crate::column_types::job_status::JobStatus`,
   priority_level,
@@ -77,6 +80,8 @@ SELECT
   retry_at
 FROM tts_inference_jobs
 WHERE
+  is_debug_request = ?
+  AND
   (
     status IN ("pending", "attempt_failed")
   )
@@ -89,6 +94,7 @@ WHERE
   ORDER BY priority_level DESC, id ASC
   LIMIT ?
         "#,
+      is_debug_worker,
       num_records,
     ).fetch_all(pool).await?
   } else {
@@ -109,6 +115,7 @@ SELECT
 
   is_from_api,
   is_for_twitch,
+  is_debug_request,
 
   status as `status: crate::column_types::job_status::JobStatus`,
   priority_level,
@@ -120,6 +127,8 @@ SELECT
   retry_at
 FROM tts_inference_jobs
 WHERE
+  is_debug_request = ?
+  AND
   (
     status IN ("pending", "attempt_failed")
   )
@@ -131,6 +140,7 @@ WHERE
   )
   LIMIT ?
         "#,
+      is_debug_worker,
       num_records,
     ).fetch_all(pool).await?
   };
@@ -148,6 +158,7 @@ WHERE
           creator_set_visibility: record.creator_set_visibility,
           is_from_api: i8_to_bool(record.is_from_api),
           is_for_twitch: i8_to_bool(record.is_for_twitch),
+          is_debug_request: i8_to_bool(record.is_debug_request),
           status: record.status,
           priority_level: record.priority_level,
           attempt_count: record.attempt_count,
@@ -167,7 +178,8 @@ WHERE
 pub async fn list_available_tts_inference_jobs_with_minimum_priority(
   pool: &MySqlPool,
   minimum_priority: u8,
-  num_records: u32
+  num_records: u32,
+  is_debug_worker: bool
 ) -> AnyhowResult<Vec<AvailableTtsInferenceJob>> {
 
   // NB: This query is awkwardly written twice because this is the only way the
@@ -192,6 +204,7 @@ SELECT
 
   is_from_api,
   is_for_twitch,
+  is_debug_request,
 
   status as `status: crate::column_types::job_status::JobStatus`,
   priority_level,
@@ -204,6 +217,7 @@ SELECT
 FROM tts_inference_jobs
 WHERE
   priority_level >= ?
+  AND is_debug_request = ?
   AND
   (
     status IN ("pending", "attempt_failed")
@@ -218,6 +232,7 @@ WHERE
   LIMIT ?
         "#,
       minimum_priority,
+      is_debug_worker,
       num_records,
     ).fetch_all(pool).await?;
 
@@ -234,6 +249,7 @@ WHERE
           creator_set_visibility: record.creator_set_visibility,
           is_from_api: i8_to_bool(record.is_from_api),
           is_for_twitch: i8_to_bool(record.is_for_twitch),
+          is_debug_request: i8_to_bool(record.is_debug_request),
           status: record.status,
           priority_level: record.priority_level,
           attempt_count: record.attempt_count,
@@ -263,6 +279,7 @@ struct AvailableTtsInferenceJobRawInternal {
 
   pub is_from_api: i8,
   pub is_for_twitch: i8,
+  pub is_debug_request: i8,
 
   pub status: JobStatus,
   pub priority_level: u8,
diff --git a/crates/service/tts_inference_job/src/job_steps/job_args.rs b/crates/service/tts_inference_job/src/job_steps/job_args.rs
index e11e075706..f017325b12 100644
--- a/crates/service/tts_inference_job/src/job_steps/job_args.rs
+++ b/crates/service/tts_inference_job/src/job_steps/job_args.rs
@@ -118,7 +118,14 @@ pub struct JobArgs {
 }
 
 pub struct JobWorkerDetails {
+  // Debug workers only process special debug requests. They're silent otherwise.
+  // Non-debug workers ignore debug requests. This is so we can deploy special code
+  // to debug nodes (typically just one, perhaps even ephemerally).
+  pub is_debug_worker: bool,
+
+  // The worker is "on-premises".
   pub is_on_prem: bool,
+
+  // Hostname of the worker.
   pub worker_hostname: String,
 }
-
diff --git a/crates/service/tts_inference_job/src/main.rs b/crates/service/tts_inference_job/src/main.rs
index bce6f92e01..9d27b5fb66 100644
--- a/crates/service/tts_inference_job/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/service/tts_inference_job/src/main.rs
@@ -273,6 +273,8 @@ async fn main() -> AnyhowResult<()> {
 
   info!("Using 'MAYBE_MINIMUM_PRIORITY' of {:?}", maybe_minimum_priority);
 
+  let is_debug_worker = easyenv::get_env_bool_or_default("IS_DEBUG_WORKER", false);
+
   let inferencer = JobArgs {
     download_temp_directory: temp_directory,
     mysql_pool,
@@ -286,6 +288,7 @@ async fn main() -> AnyhowResult<()> {
     worker_details: JobWorkerDetails {
       is_on_prem,
       worker_hostname: server_hostname.clone(),
+      is_debug_worker,
     },
     virtual_model_lfu: virtual_lfu_cache,
     cache_miss_strategizers,
@@ -337,14 +340,16 @@ async fn main_loop(inferencer: JobArgs) {
           list_available_tts_inference_jobs_with_minimum_priority(
             &inferencer.mysql_pool,
             minimum_priority,
-            num_records
+            num_records,
+            inferencer.worker_details.is_debug_worker
           ).await
         } else {
           // Normal path
           list_available_tts_inference_jobs(
             &inferencer.mysql_pool,
             sort_by_priority,
-            num_records
+            num_records,
+            inferencer.worker_details.is_debug_worker
           ).await
         };