diff --git a/redbot/core/_cli.py b/redbot/core/_cli.py
index 312d3c999..886c9421f 100644
--- a/redbot/core/_cli.py
+++ b/redbot/core/_cli.py
@@ -137,6 +137,12 @@ def parse_cli_flags(args):
     )
     parser.add_argument("--version", "-V", action="store_true", help="Show Red's current version")
     parser.add_argument("--debuginfo", action="store_true", help="Show debug information.")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--enable-debug-events",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Enable discord.py raw socket events (on_socket_raw_receive and on_socket_raw_send)."
+        " This may reduce the bot's performance significantly.",
+    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--list-instances",
         action="store_true",
diff --git a/redbot/core/bot.py b/redbot/core/bot.py
index 891a7cadd..2af27c4b7 100644
--- a/redbot/core/bot.py
+++ b/redbot/core/bot.py
@@ -249,6 +249,9 @@ class Red(
         kwargs["max_messages"] = message_cache_size
         self._max_messages = message_cache_size
 
+        if cli_flags.enable_debug_events:
+            kwargs["enable_debug_events"] = True
+
         self._uptime = None
         self._checked_time_accuracy = None