diff --git a/api/public/swagger.yaml b/api/public/swagger.yaml
index 2db3115..c9b00c6 100644
--- a/api/public/swagger.yaml
+++ b/api/public/swagger.yaml
@@ -603,21 +603,6 @@ components:
                 - sessionId
             type: object
             additionalProperties: false
-        TriggerProgramPayload:
-            properties:
-                _program:
-                    type: string
-                    description: 'Location of SAS program'
-                    example: /Public/somefolder/some.file
-                expiresAfterMins:
-                    type: number
-                    format: double
-                    description: "Amount of minutes after the completion of the program when the session must be\ndestroyed."
-                    example: 15
-            required:
-                - _program
-            type: object
-            additionalProperties: false
         LoginPayload:
             properties:
                 username:
@@ -1936,8 +1921,8 @@ paths:
                         application/json:
                             schema:
                                 $ref: '#/components/schemas/TriggerProgramResponse'
-            description: 'Trigger Program on the Specified Runtime'
-            summary: 'Triggers program and returns SessionId immediately - does not wait for program completion'
+            description: 'Trigger Program on the Specified Runtime.'
+            summary: 'Triggers program and returns SessionId immediately - does not wait for program completion.'
             tags:
                 - STP
             security:
@@ -1945,19 +1930,31 @@ paths:
                     bearerAuth: []
             parameters:
                 -
-                    description: 'Location of code in SASjs Drive'
+                    description: 'Location of code in SASjs Drive.'
                     in: query
                     name: _program
-                    required: false
+                    required: true
                     schema:
                         type: string
                     example: /Projects/myApp/some/program
-            requestBody:
-                required: true
-                content:
-                    application/json:
-                        schema:
-                            $ref: '#/components/schemas/TriggerProgramPayload'
+                -
+                    description: 'Optional query param for setting debug mode.'
+                    in: query
+                    name: _debug
+                    required: false
+                    schema:
+                        format: double
+                        type: number
+                    example: 131
+                -
+                    description: 'Optional query param for setting amount of minutes after the completion of the program when the session must be destroyed.'
+                    in: query
+                    name: expiresAfterMins
+                    required: false
+                    schema:
+                        format: double
+                        type: number
+                    example: 15
     /:
         get:
             operationId: Home
diff --git a/api/src/controllers/stp.ts b/api/src/controllers/stp.ts
index 573cf0a..3e66e88 100644
--- a/api/src/controllers/stp.ts
+++ b/api/src/controllers/stp.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ interface ExecutePostRequestPayload {
 
 interface TriggerProgramPayload {
   /**
-   * Location of SAS program
+   * Location of SAS program.
    * @example "/Public/somefolder/some.file"
    */
   _program: string
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ interface TriggerProgramPayload {
    * @example 15
    */
   expiresAfterMins?: number
+  /**
+   * Query param for setting debug mode.
+   */
+  _debug?: number
 }
 
 interface TriggerProgramResponse {
@@ -108,19 +112,23 @@ export class STPController {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Trigger Program on the Specified Runtime
-   * @summary Triggers program and returns SessionId immediately - does not wait for program completion
-   * @param _program Location of code in SASjs Drive
+   * Trigger Program on the Specified Runtime.
+   * @summary Triggers program and returns SessionId immediately - does not wait for program completion.
+   * @param _program Location of code in SASjs Drive.
+   * @param expiresAfterMins Optional query param for setting amount of minutes after the completion of the program when the session must be destroyed.
+   * @param _debug Optional query param for setting debug mode.
    * @example _program "/Projects/myApp/some/program"
-   * @param expiresAfterMins Amount of minutes after the completion of the program when the session must be destroyed
+   * @example _debug 131
    * @example expiresAfterMins 15
    */
   @Post('/trigger')
   public async triggerProgram(
     @Request() request: express.Request,
-    @Body() body: TriggerProgramPayload
+    @Query() _program: string,
+    @Query() _debug?: number,
+    @Query() expiresAfterMins?: number
   ): Promise<TriggerProgramResponse> {
-    return triggerProgram(request, body)
+    return triggerProgram(request, { _program, _debug, expiresAfterMins })
   }
 }
 
@@ -163,14 +171,18 @@ const execute = async (
 
 const triggerProgram = async (
   req: express.Request,
-  { _program, expiresAfterMins }: TriggerProgramPayload
+  { _program, _debug, expiresAfterMins }: TriggerProgramPayload
 ): Promise<TriggerProgramResponse> => {
   try {
-    const vars = { ...req.body }
-    const filesNamesMap = req.files?.length
-      ? makeFilesNamesMap(req.files as MulterFile[])
-      : null
-    const otherArgs = { filesNamesMap: filesNamesMap }
+    // put _program query param into vars object
+    const vars: { [key: string]: string | number } = { _program }
+
+    // if present add _debug query param to vars object
+    if (_debug) {
+      vars._debug = _debug
+    }
+
+    // get code path and runTime
     const { codePath, runTime } = await getRunTimeAndFilePath(_program)
 
     // get session controller based on runTime
@@ -191,7 +203,6 @@ const triggerProgram = async (
       runTime,
       preProgramVariables: getPreProgramVariables(req),
       vars,
-      otherArgs,
       session
     })
 
diff --git a/api/src/routes/api/stp.ts b/api/src/routes/api/stp.ts
index 632bcbd..6f418e5 100644
--- a/api/src/routes/api/stp.ts
+++ b/api/src/routes/api/stp.ts
@@ -73,12 +73,17 @@ stpRouter.post(
 )
 
 stpRouter.post('/trigger', async (req, res) => {
-  const { error, value: body } = triggerProgramValidation(req.body)
+  const { error, value: query } = triggerProgramValidation(req.query)
 
   if (error) return res.status(400).send(error.details[0].message)
 
   try {
-    const response = await controller.triggerProgram(req, body)
+    const response = await controller.triggerProgram(
+      req,
+      query._program,
+      query._debug,
+      query.expiresAfterMins
+    )
 
     res.status(200)
     res.send(response)