diff --git a/Makefile.config.in b/Makefile.config.in
index bb68e4c..fc84c0b 100644
--- a/Makefile.config.in
+++ b/Makefile.config.in
@@ -245,6 +245,11 @@
 #DEBUG_RUNTIME = 1
 @DEBUG_RUNTIME@
 
+# When DEBUG_SYMBOLS is enabled, the compiler libraries will retain debug
+# symbols.
+#DEBUG_SYMBOLS = 1
+@DEBUG_SYMBOLS@
+
 # When ENABLE_PROFILING is enabled, the llvm source base is built with profile
 # information to allow gprof to be used to get execution frequencies.
 #ENABLE_PROFILING = 1
diff --git a/Makefile.rules b/Makefile.rules
index 48cb690..264bab8 100644
--- a/Makefile.rules
+++ b/Makefile.rules
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@
   CXX.Flags += $(OPTIMIZE_OPTION) $(OmitFramePointer)
   C.Flags   += $(OPTIMIZE_OPTION) $(OmitFramePointer)
   LD.Flags  += $(OPTIMIZE_OPTION)
-  ifdef DEBUG_RUNTIME
+  ifdef DEBUG_SYMBOLS
     BuildMode := $(BuildMode)+Debug
     CXX.Flags += -g
     C.Flags   += -g
diff --git a/autoconf/configure.ac b/autoconf/configure.ac
index 7d75eb2..e305869 100644
--- a/autoconf/configure.ac
+++ b/autoconf/configure.ac
@@ -381,6 +381,16 @@
   AC_SUBST(DEBUG_RUNTIME,[[DEBUG_RUNTIME=1]])
 fi
 
+dnl --enable-debug-symbols : should even optimized compiler libraries
+dnl have debug symbols?
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(debug-symbols,
+   AS_HELP_STRING(--enable-debug-symbols,[Build compiler with debug symbols (default is NO if optimization is on and YES if it's off)]),,enableval=no)
+if test ${enableval} = "no" ; then
+  AC_SUBST(DEBUG_SYMBOLS,[[]])
+else
+  AC_SUBST(DEBUG_SYMBOLS,[[DEBUG_SYMBOLS=1]])
+fi
+
 dnl --enable-jit: check whether they want to enable the jit
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(jit,
   AS_HELP_STRING(--enable-jit,
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 9954f94..87278d7 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -837,6 +837,7 @@
 ENABLE_EXPENSIVE_CHECKS
 EXPENSIVE_CHECKS
 DEBUG_RUNTIME
+DEBUG_SYMBOLS
 JIT
 TARGET_HAS_JIT
 ENABLE_DOXYGEN
@@ -1554,6 +1555,8 @@
                           is NO)
   --enable-debug-runtime  Build runtime libs with debug symbols (default is
                           NO)
+  --enable-debug-symbols  Build compiler with debug symbols (default is NO if
+                          optimization is on and YES if it's off)
   --enable-jit            Enable Just In Time Compiling (default is YES)
   --enable-doxygen        Build doxygen documentation (default is NO)
   --enable-threads        Use threads if available (default is YES)
@@ -4882,6 +4885,21 @@
 
 fi
 
+# Check whether --enable-debug-symbols was given.
+if test "${enable_debug_symbols+set}" = set; then
+  enableval=$enable_debug_symbols;
+else
+  enableval=no
+fi
+
+if test ${enableval} = "no" ; then
+  DEBUG_SYMBOLS=
+
+else
+  DEBUG_SYMBOLS=DEBUG_SYMBOLS=1
+
+fi
+
 # Check whether --enable-jit was given.
 if test "${enable_jit+set}" = set; then
   enableval=$enable_jit;
@@ -10976,7 +10994,7 @@
   lt_dlunknown=0; lt_dlno_uscore=1; lt_dlneed_uscore=2
   lt_status=$lt_dlunknown
   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<EOF
-#line 10979 "configure"
+#line 10997 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 
 #if HAVE_DLFCN_H
@@ -13120,7 +13138,7 @@
   ;;
 *-*-irix6*)
   # Find out which ABI we are using.
-  echo '#line 13123 "configure"' > conftest.$ac_ext
+  echo '#line 13141 "configure"' > conftest.$ac_ext
   if { (eval echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \"$ac_compile\"") >&5
   (eval $ac_compile) 2>&5
   ac_status=$?
@@ -14838,11 +14856,11 @@
    -e 's:.*FLAGS}\{0,1\} :&$lt_compiler_flag :; t' \
    -e 's: [^ ]*conftest\.: $lt_compiler_flag&:; t' \
    -e 's:$: $lt_compiler_flag:'`
-   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:14841: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
+   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:14859: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
    (eval "$lt_compile" 2>conftest.err)
    ac_status=$?
    cat conftest.err >&5
-   echo "$as_me:14845: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+   echo "$as_me:14863: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
    if (exit $ac_status) && test -s "$ac_outfile"; then
      # The compiler can only warn and ignore the option if not recognized
      # So say no if there are warnings other than the usual output.
@@ -15106,11 +15124,11 @@
    -e 's:.*FLAGS}\{0,1\} :&$lt_compiler_flag :; t' \
    -e 's: [^ ]*conftest\.: $lt_compiler_flag&:; t' \
    -e 's:$: $lt_compiler_flag:'`
-   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:15109: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
+   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:15127: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
    (eval "$lt_compile" 2>conftest.err)
    ac_status=$?
    cat conftest.err >&5
-   echo "$as_me:15113: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+   echo "$as_me:15131: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
    if (exit $ac_status) && test -s "$ac_outfile"; then
      # The compiler can only warn and ignore the option if not recognized
      # So say no if there are warnings other than the usual output.
@@ -15210,11 +15228,11 @@
    -e 's:.*FLAGS}\{0,1\} :&$lt_compiler_flag :; t' \
    -e 's: [^ ]*conftest\.: $lt_compiler_flag&:; t' \
    -e 's:$: $lt_compiler_flag:'`
-   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:15213: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
+   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:15231: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
    (eval "$lt_compile" 2>out/conftest.err)
    ac_status=$?
    cat out/conftest.err >&5
-   echo "$as_me:15217: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+   echo "$as_me:15235: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
    if (exit $ac_status) && test -s out/conftest2.$ac_objext
    then
      # The compiler can only warn and ignore the option if not recognized
@@ -17662,7 +17680,7 @@
   lt_dlunknown=0; lt_dlno_uscore=1; lt_dlneed_uscore=2
   lt_status=$lt_dlunknown
   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<EOF
-#line 17665 "configure"
+#line 17683 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 
 #if HAVE_DLFCN_H
@@ -17762,7 +17780,7 @@
   lt_dlunknown=0; lt_dlno_uscore=1; lt_dlneed_uscore=2
   lt_status=$lt_dlunknown
   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<EOF
-#line 17765 "configure"
+#line 17783 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 
 #if HAVE_DLFCN_H
@@ -20130,11 +20148,11 @@
    -e 's:.*FLAGS}\{0,1\} :&$lt_compiler_flag :; t' \
    -e 's: [^ ]*conftest\.: $lt_compiler_flag&:; t' \
    -e 's:$: $lt_compiler_flag:'`
-   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:20133: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
+   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:20151: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
    (eval "$lt_compile" 2>conftest.err)
    ac_status=$?
    cat conftest.err >&5
-   echo "$as_me:20137: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+   echo "$as_me:20155: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
    if (exit $ac_status) && test -s "$ac_outfile"; then
      # The compiler can only warn and ignore the option if not recognized
      # So say no if there are warnings other than the usual output.
@@ -20234,11 +20252,11 @@
    -e 's:.*FLAGS}\{0,1\} :&$lt_compiler_flag :; t' \
    -e 's: [^ ]*conftest\.: $lt_compiler_flag&:; t' \
    -e 's:$: $lt_compiler_flag:'`
-   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:20237: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
+   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:20255: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
    (eval "$lt_compile" 2>out/conftest.err)
    ac_status=$?
    cat out/conftest.err >&5
-   echo "$as_me:20241: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+   echo "$as_me:20259: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
    if (exit $ac_status) && test -s out/conftest2.$ac_objext
    then
      # The compiler can only warn and ignore the option if not recognized
@@ -21804,11 +21822,11 @@
    -e 's:.*FLAGS}\{0,1\} :&$lt_compiler_flag :; t' \
    -e 's: [^ ]*conftest\.: $lt_compiler_flag&:; t' \
    -e 's:$: $lt_compiler_flag:'`
-   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:21807: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
+   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:21825: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
    (eval "$lt_compile" 2>conftest.err)
    ac_status=$?
    cat conftest.err >&5
-   echo "$as_me:21811: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+   echo "$as_me:21829: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
    if (exit $ac_status) && test -s "$ac_outfile"; then
      # The compiler can only warn and ignore the option if not recognized
      # So say no if there are warnings other than the usual output.
@@ -21908,11 +21926,11 @@
    -e 's:.*FLAGS}\{0,1\} :&$lt_compiler_flag :; t' \
    -e 's: [^ ]*conftest\.: $lt_compiler_flag&:; t' \
    -e 's:$: $lt_compiler_flag:'`
-   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:21911: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
+   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:21929: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
    (eval "$lt_compile" 2>out/conftest.err)
    ac_status=$?
    cat out/conftest.err >&5
-   echo "$as_me:21915: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+   echo "$as_me:21933: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
    if (exit $ac_status) && test -s out/conftest2.$ac_objext
    then
      # The compiler can only warn and ignore the option if not recognized
@@ -24143,11 +24161,11 @@
    -e 's:.*FLAGS}\{0,1\} :&$lt_compiler_flag :; t' \
    -e 's: [^ ]*conftest\.: $lt_compiler_flag&:; t' \
    -e 's:$: $lt_compiler_flag:'`
-   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:24146: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
+   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:24164: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
    (eval "$lt_compile" 2>conftest.err)
    ac_status=$?
    cat conftest.err >&5
-   echo "$as_me:24150: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+   echo "$as_me:24168: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
    if (exit $ac_status) && test -s "$ac_outfile"; then
      # The compiler can only warn and ignore the option if not recognized
      # So say no if there are warnings other than the usual output.
@@ -24411,11 +24429,11 @@
    -e 's:.*FLAGS}\{0,1\} :&$lt_compiler_flag :; t' \
    -e 's: [^ ]*conftest\.: $lt_compiler_flag&:; t' \
    -e 's:$: $lt_compiler_flag:'`
-   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:24414: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
+   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:24432: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
    (eval "$lt_compile" 2>conftest.err)
    ac_status=$?
    cat conftest.err >&5
-   echo "$as_me:24418: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+   echo "$as_me:24436: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
    if (exit $ac_status) && test -s "$ac_outfile"; then
      # The compiler can only warn and ignore the option if not recognized
      # So say no if there are warnings other than the usual output.
@@ -24515,11 +24533,11 @@
    -e 's:.*FLAGS}\{0,1\} :&$lt_compiler_flag :; t' \
    -e 's: [^ ]*conftest\.: $lt_compiler_flag&:; t' \
    -e 's:$: $lt_compiler_flag:'`
-   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:24518: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
+   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:24536: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
    (eval "$lt_compile" 2>out/conftest.err)
    ac_status=$?
    cat out/conftest.err >&5
-   echo "$as_me:24522: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+   echo "$as_me:24540: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
    if (exit $ac_status) && test -s out/conftest2.$ac_objext
    then
      # The compiler can only warn and ignore the option if not recognized
@@ -36093,6 +36111,7 @@
 ENABLE_EXPENSIVE_CHECKS!$ENABLE_EXPENSIVE_CHECKS$ac_delim
 EXPENSIVE_CHECKS!$EXPENSIVE_CHECKS$ac_delim
 DEBUG_RUNTIME!$DEBUG_RUNTIME$ac_delim
+DEBUG_SYMBOLS!$DEBUG_SYMBOLS$ac_delim
 JIT!$JIT$ac_delim
 TARGET_HAS_JIT!$TARGET_HAS_JIT$ac_delim
 ENABLE_DOXYGEN!$ENABLE_DOXYGEN$ac_delim
@@ -36108,7 +36127,6 @@
 ENABLE_LLVMC_DYNAMIC!$ENABLE_LLVMC_DYNAMIC$ac_delim
 ENABLE_LLVMC_DYNAMIC_PLUGINS!$ENABLE_LLVMC_DYNAMIC_PLUGINS$ac_delim
 CXX!$CXX$ac_delim
-CXXFLAGS!$CXXFLAGS$ac_delim
 _ACEOF
 
   if test `sed -n "s/.*$ac_delim\$/X/p" conf$$subs.sed | grep -c X` = 97; then
@@ -36150,6 +36168,7 @@
 ac_delim='%!_!# '
 for ac_last_try in false false false false false :; do
   cat >conf$$subs.sed <<_ACEOF
+CXXFLAGS!$CXXFLAGS$ac_delim
 ac_ct_CXX!$ac_ct_CXX$ac_delim
 NM!$NM$ac_delim
 ifGNUmake!$ifGNUmake$ac_delim
@@ -36243,7 +36262,7 @@
 LTLIBOBJS!$LTLIBOBJS$ac_delim
 _ACEOF
 
-  if test `sed -n "s/.*$ac_delim\$/X/p" conf$$subs.sed | grep -c X` = 91; then
+  if test `sed -n "s/.*$ac_delim\$/X/p" conf$$subs.sed | grep -c X` = 92; then
     break
   elif $ac_last_try; then
     { { echo "$as_me:$LINENO: error: could not make $CONFIG_STATUS" >&5