diff --git a/generators/chipyard/src/main/scala/config/ChipConfigs.scala b/generators/chipyard/src/main/scala/config/ChipConfigs.scala
index e3d18375..e9b82223 100644
--- a/generators/chipyard/src/main/scala/config/ChipConfigs.scala
+++ b/generators/chipyard/src/main/scala/config/ChipConfigs.scala
@@ -110,5 +110,8 @@ class TetheredChipLikeRocketConfig extends Config(
 class VerilatorCITetheredChipLikeRocketConfig extends Config(
   new chipyard.harness.WithAbsoluteFreqHarnessClockInstantiator ++   // use absolute freqs for sims in the harness
   new chipyard.harness.WithMultiChipSerialTL(0, 1) ++                // connect the serial-tl ports of the chips together
-  new chipyard.harness.WithMultiChip(0, new chipyard.config.WithNoResetSynchronizers ++ new ChipLikeRocketConfig) ++
+  new chipyard.harness.WithMultiChip(0,
+    new chipyard.iobinders.WithDebugIOCells(syncReset = false) ++
+    new chipyard.config.WithNoResetSynchronizers ++
+    new ChipLikeRocketConfig) ++
   new chipyard.harness.WithMultiChip(1, new ChipBringupHostConfig))
diff --git a/generators/chipyard/src/main/scala/iobinders/IOBinders.scala b/generators/chipyard/src/main/scala/iobinders/IOBinders.scala
index 7894ba51..9dde6544 100644
--- a/generators/chipyard/src/main/scala/iobinders/IOBinders.scala
+++ b/generators/chipyard/src/main/scala/iobinders/IOBinders.scala
@@ -275,7 +275,9 @@ class JTAGChipIO extends Bundle {
   val TDO = Output(Bool())
 }
 
-class WithDebugIOCells extends OverrideLazyIOBinder({
+// WARNING: Don't disable syncReset unless you are trying to
+// get around bugs in RTL simulators
+class WithDebugIOCells(syncReset: Boolean = true) extends OverrideLazyIOBinder({
   (system: HasPeripheryDebug) => {
     implicit val p = GetSystemParameters(system)
     val tlbus = system.asInstanceOf[BaseSubsystem].locateTLBusWrapper(p(ExportDebug).slaveWhere)
@@ -299,7 +301,7 @@ class WithDebugIOCells extends OverrideLazyIOBinder({
           d.disableDebug.foreach { d => d := false.B }
           // Drive JTAG on-chip IOs
           d.systemjtag.map { j =>
-            j.reset := ResetCatchAndSync(j.jtag.TCK, clockBundle.reset.asBool)
+            j.reset := (if (syncReset) ResetCatchAndSync(j.jtag.TCK, clockBundle.reset.asBool) else clockBundle.reset.asBool)
             j.mfr_id := p(JtagDTMKey).idcodeManufId.U(11.W)
             j.part_number := p(JtagDTMKey).idcodePartNum.U(16.W)
             j.version := p(JtagDTMKey).idcodeVersion.U(4.W)