diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 9c1948c5..ebc2e9f7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ on:
       - 'dependabot/**'
   pull_request:
   workflow_dispatch:
+    tmate:
+      type: boolean
+      description: 'Start tmate session on failure'
+      required: false
+      default: false
 
 jobs:
   tests:
@@ -178,6 +183,10 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           cmake --build build --target tests
 
+      - name: Setup tmate session
+        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && inputs.tmate && failure() }}
+        uses: mxschmitt/action-tmate@v3
+
   docs:
     name: Documentation
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -217,3 +226,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Check links
         run: |
           cmake --build build --target docs_linkcheck
+
+      - name: Setup tmate session
+        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && inputs.tmate && failure() }}
+        uses: mxschmitt/action-tmate@v3