diff --git a/utils/get-developers b/utils/get-developers
index 158867ce3f..9ab5c4503f 100755
--- a/utils/get-developers
+++ b/utils/get-developers
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ def parse_args():
                         const=True, help='only list affected developer email addresses')
     parser.add_argument('-v', dest='validate', action='store_const',
                         const=True, help='validate syntax of DEVELOPERS file')
+    parser.add_argument('-d', dest='filename', action='store', default=None,
+                        help='override the default DEVELOPERS file (for debug)')
     return parser.parse_args()
 
 
@@ -48,7 +50,7 @@ def __main__():
         print("No action specified")
         return
 
-    devs = getdeveloperlib.parse_developers()
+    devs = getdeveloperlib.parse_developers(args.filename)
     if devs is None:
         sys.exit(1)
 
diff --git a/utils/getdeveloperlib.py b/utils/getdeveloperlib.py
index c05e1f888b..2a8d5c213c 100644
--- a/utils/getdeveloperlib.py
+++ b/utils/getdeveloperlib.py
@@ -225,13 +225,13 @@ def parse_developer_runtime_tests(fnames):
     return runtimes
 
 
-def parse_developers():
+def parse_developers(filename=None):
     """Parse the DEVELOPERS file and return a list of Developer objects."""
     developers = []
     linen = 0
     global unittests
     unittests = list_unittests()
-    developers_fname = os.path.join(brpath, 'DEVELOPERS')
+    developers_fname = filename or os.path.join(brpath, 'DEVELOPERS')
     with open(developers_fname, mode='r', encoding='utf_8') as f:
         files = []
         name = None