Devices and methods are provided for identifying a debug event associated with a data element of a data stream, and performing debugging when a processor executes a software program in connection with the data stream. The debug event is tracked through a data pipeline to the processor. In an embodiment, the debug event is acted on only when the processor is ready to consume the data element associated with the debug event. In an embodiment, the debug event is determined by monitoring iteration counts of loop counters associated with an address generator and comparing the iteration counts to respective stored count values.