diff --git a/android/sample/build.gradle b/android/sample/build.gradle
index 1eef227ad..4922076fd 100644
--- a/android/sample/build.gradle
+++ b/android/sample/build.gradle
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ dependencies {
     // Litho
     implementation deps.lithoCore
     implementation deps.lithoWidget
-    compileOnly deps.lithoAnnotations
+    implementation deps.lithoAnnotations
     annotationProcessor deps.lithoProcessor
 
     // Third-party
diff --git a/android/sample/src/main/java/com/facebook/flipper/sample/FlipperSampleApplication.java b/android/sample/src/main/java/com/facebook/flipper/sample/FlipperSampleApplication.java
index 5e7b04641..05cee4d69 100644
--- a/android/sample/src/main/java/com/facebook/flipper/sample/FlipperSampleApplication.java
+++ b/android/sample/src/main/java/com/facebook/flipper/sample/FlipperSampleApplication.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package com.facebook.flipper.sample;
 
 import android.app.Application;
 import android.content.Context;
+import com.facebook.litho.config.ComponentsConfiguration;
 import com.facebook.soloader.SoLoader;
 import com.facebook.sonar.android.AndroidSonarClient;
 import com.facebook.sonar.core.SonarClient;
@@ -39,6 +40,9 @@ public class FlipperSampleApplication extends Application {
     .writeTimeout(10, TimeUnit.MINUTES)
     .build();
 
+    // Normally, you would want to make this dependent on a BuildConfig flag, but
+    // for this demo application we can safely assume that you always want to debug.
+    ComponentsConfiguration.isDebugModeEnabled = true;
     LithoSonarDescriptors.add(descriptorMapping);
     client.addPlugin(new InspectorSonarPlugin(this, descriptorMapping));
     client.addPlugin(networkPlugin);