diff --git a/src/mldebug/aie_status.py b/src/mldebug/aie_status.py
index 0ba2f95..f8a6872 100644
--- a/src/mldebug/aie_status.py
+++ b/src/mldebug/aie_status.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 Utility to help make sense of AIE register Values
 """
 
+import os
 import re
 import json
 import subprocess
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ class AIEStatus:
   Top level class to manage aie status
   """
 
-  def __init__(self, backend, get_debug_tiles, aie_iface, overlay):
+  def __init__(self, backend, get_debug_tiles, aie_iface, overlay, debug_map_json=None):
     """
     Initialize the AIEStatus manager.
 
@@ -26,12 +27,15 @@ def __init__(self, backend, get_debug_tiles, aie_iface, overlay):
       get_debug_tiles: Function to retrieve tiles of interest.
       aie_iface: Interface containing register maps and parsing.
       overlay: Overlay type string, e.g. "1x4x4".
+      debug_map_json: Optional; default path to debug_map.json used to resolve
+        the ASM hang line when callers do not pass one explicitly.
     """
     self.backend = backend
     self.aie_iface = aie_iface
     self.get_debug_tiles = get_debug_tiles
     self.results = {}
     self.overlay = {}
+    self.default_debug_map_json = debug_map_json
     self.guidance_checker: Optional[AIEGuidanceChecker] = None
     if overlay == "1x4x4":
       self.overlay = self.aie_iface.parse_overlay()
@@ -410,6 +414,8 @@ def update(self, tile_type=None, vaiml=False, advanced=False, debug_map_json=Non
       advanced: Optional; include extra diagnostics.
       debug_map_json: Optional; debug map path for microcontroller section.
     """
+    if debug_map_json is None:
+      debug_map_json = self.default_debug_map_json
     if not tile_type:
       tile_type = self.aie_iface.TILE_TYPES
 
@@ -467,6 +473,12 @@ def _get_uc_status(self, debug_map_json=None):
     self._append_uc_status()
     # Add HSA queue status for aie2ps
     self._append_hsa_queue_status()
+    if debug_map_json is not None and not os.path.exists(debug_map_json):
+      print(
+        f"[WARNING] debug_map.json not found at {debug_map_json}. "
+        "ASM hang line will be omitted from the AIE status."
+      )
+      debug_map_json = None
     if debug_map_json is not None:
       with open(debug_map_json, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
         data = json.load(f)
@@ -501,6 +513,8 @@ def get_uc_status(self, debug_map_json=None, guidance=False):
       debug_map_json: Optional; debug info file.
       guidance: Optional; if True, run guidance checks after status. Default: True
     """
+    if debug_map_json is None:
+      debug_map_json = self.default_debug_map_json
     self.results = {}
     if self.aie_iface.HAS_UC_MODULE:
       self._get_uc_status(debug_map_json=debug_map_json)
diff --git a/src/mldebug/client_debug.py b/src/mldebug/client_debug.py
index 5e15f42..a041376 100644
--- a/src/mldebug/client_debug.py
+++ b/src/mldebug/client_debug.py
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ def __init__(self, args, ctx_id, pid, output_dir):
 
     self.impl = self.impls[0]
     self.status_handle = AIEStatus(
-      self.impl, self.design_info.overlay.get_tiles, args.aie_iface, self.design_info.overlay.get_repr()
+      self.impl, self.design_info.overlay.get_tiles, args.aie_iface, self.design_info.overlay.get_repr(),
+      debug_map_json=getattr(args, "debug_map_json", None)
     )
 
     # Initialize specialized components (share mutable lists by reference)