diff --git a/config/ompi_configure_options.m4 b/config/ompi_configure_options.m4
index 517225b546..810ad23d21 100644
--- a/config/ompi_configure_options.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_configure_options.m4
@@ -143,6 +143,9 @@ fi
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(OMPI_ENABLE_DEBUG, $WANT_DEBUG,
     [Whether we want developer-level debugging code or not])
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(debug-symbols,
+    AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-debug-symbols],
+        [Disable adding compiler flags to enable debugging symbols if --enable-debug is specified.  For non-debugging builds, this flag has no effect.]))
 
 #
 # Fortran 77
diff --git a/config/ompi_setup_cc.m4 b/config/ompi_setup_cc.m4
index 420e17ef7a..397b389656 100644
--- a/config/ompi_setup_cc.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_setup_cc.m4
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([OMPI_SETUP_CC],[
     fi
 
     # Do we want debugging?
-    if test "$WANT_DEBUG" = "1"; then
+    if test "$WANT_DEBUG" = "1" -a "$enable_debug_symbols" != "no" ; then
         if test "$ompi_c_vendor" = "gnu"; then
             CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -g3"
         else
@@ -161,10 +161,14 @@ AC_DEFUN([OMPI_SETUP_CC],[
     # be conservative and just use -O.
     #
     # Note: gcc-impersonating compilers accept -O3
-    if test "$GCC" = yes; then
-        OPTFLAGS="-O3"
+    if test "$WANT_DEBUG" = "1"; then
+        OPTFLAGS=
     else
-        OPTFLAGS="-O"
+        if test "$GCC" = yes; then
+            OPTFLAGS="-O3"
+        else
+            OPTFLAGS="-O"
+        fi
     fi
 
     OMPI_CHECK_OPTFLAGS("$OMPI_CFLAGS_BEFORE_PICKY")
diff --git a/config/ompi_setup_cxx.m4 b/config/ompi_setup_cxx.m4
index d7db7c4b06..9167c08936 100644
--- a/config/ompi_setup_cxx.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_setup_cxx.m4
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([OMPI_SETUP_CXX],[
     fi
 
     # Do we want debugging?
-    if test "$WANT_DEBUG" = "1"; then
+    if test "$WANT_DEBUG" = "1" -a "$enable_debug_symbols" != "no" ; then
         CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS -g"
         OMPI_UNIQ(CXXFLAGS)
         AC_MSG_WARN([-g has been added to CXXFLAGS (--enable-debug)])
@@ -148,11 +148,16 @@ AC_DEFUN([OMPI_SETUP_CXX],[
     esac
 
     # Note: gcc-imperonating compilers accept -O3
-    if test "$GXX" = yes; then
-        OPTFLAGS="-O3"
+    if test "$WANT_DEBUG" = "1"; then
+        OPTFLAGS=
     else
-        OPTFLAGS="-O"
+        if test "$GXX" = yes; then
+            OPTFLAGS="-O3"
+        else
+            OPTFLAGS="-O"
+        fi
     fi
+
     # config/ompi_check_optflags.m4
     OMPI_CHECK_OPTFLAGS(["$CXXFLAGS"])
     AC_MSG_CHECKING([for C++ optimization flags])