diff --git a/module/language/cps/compile-bytecode.scm b/module/language/cps/compile-bytecode.scm
index c283eb6..a61849e 100644
--- a/module/language/cps/compile-bytecode.scm
+++ b/module/language/cps/compile-bytecode.scm
@@ -587,7 +587,9 @@
     (intmap-for-each (lambda (kfun body)
                        (compile-function (intmap-select exp body) asm))
                      (compute-reachable-functions exp 0))
-    (values (link-assembly asm #:page-aligned? (kw-arg-ref opts #:to-file? #f))
+    (values (link-assembly asm
+                           #:page-aligned? (kw-arg-ref opts #:to-file? #f)
+                           #:debug? (kw-arg-ref opts #:debug-info #t))
             env
             env)))
 
diff --git a/module/scripts/compile.scm b/module/scripts/compile.scm
index 939fb25..56acef0 100644
--- a/module/scripts/compile.scm
+++ b/module/scripts/compile.scm
@@ -108,7 +108,10 @@
                    ((string=? arg "help")
                     (show-optimization-help)
                     (exit 0))
-                   ((equal? arg "0") (return (optimizations-for-level 0)))
+                   ((equal? arg "0")
+                    (alist-cons
+                     #:debug-info #f
+                     (return (optimizations-for-level 0))))
                    ((equal? arg "1") (return (optimizations-for-level 1)))
                    ((equal? arg "2") (return (optimizations-for-level 2)))
                    ((equal? arg "3") (return (optimizations-for-level 3)))
@@ -180,7 +183,8 @@ There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.~%"))
   (format #t "To disable an optimization, prepend it with `no-', for example~%")
   (format #t "`-Ono-cse.'~%~%")
   (format #t "You may also specify optimization levels as `-O0', `-O1',~%")
-  (format #t "`-O2', or `-O3'.  Currently `-O0' turns off all optimizations,~%")
+  (format #t "`-O2', or `-O3'.  Currently `-O0' turns off all optimizations~%")
+  (format #t "and remove all debug information,~%")
   (format #t "`-O1' turns on partial evaluation, and `-O2' and `-O3' turn on~%")
   (format #t "everything.  The default is equivalent to `-O2'.")
   (format #t "~%"))
@@ -217,7 +221,6 @@ Compile each Guile source file FILE into a Guile object.
                        for a list of available warnings
   -O, --optimize=OPT   specify optimization passes to run; use `-Ohelp'
                        for a list of available optimizations
-
   -f, --from=LANG      specify a source language other than `scheme'
   -t, --to=LANG        specify a target language other than `bytecode'
   -T, --target=TRIPLET produce bytecode for host TRIPLET
diff --git a/module/system/vm/assembler.scm b/module/system/vm/assembler.scm
index 8d71dc5..4642d09 100644
--- a/module/system/vm/assembler.scm
+++ b/module/system/vm/assembler.scm
@@ -2575,7 +2575,7 @@ procedure with label @var{rw-init}.  @var{rw-init} may be false.  If
               (make-object asm '.debug_line bv line-relocs '()
                            #:type SHT_PROGBITS #:flags 0)))))
 
-(define (link-objects asm)
+(define* (link-objects asm debug?)
   (let*-values (;; Link procprops before constants, because it probably
                 ;; interns more constants.
                 ((procprops) (link-procprops asm))
@@ -2588,16 +2588,21 @@ procedure with label @var{rw-init}.  @var{rw-init} may be false.  If
                 ((symtab strtab) (link-symtab (linker-object-section text) asm))
                 ((arities arities-strtab) (link-arities asm))
                 ((docstrs docstrs-strtab) (link-docstrs asm))
-                ((dinfo dabbrev dstrtab dloc dline) (link-debug asm))
+                ((debug-tables)
+                 (values
+                  (if debug?
+                      (call-with-values list (link-debug asm))
+                      '())))
                 ;; This needs to be linked last, because linking other
                 ;; sections adds entries to the string table.
                 ((shstrtab) (link-shstrtab asm)))
     (filter identity
-            (list text ro frame-maps rw dt symtab strtab
-                  arities arities-strtab
-                  docstrs docstrs-strtab procprops
-                  dinfo dabbrev dstrtab dloc dline
-                  shstrtab))))
+            (append
+             (list text ro frame-maps rw dt symtab strtab
+                   arities arities-strtab
+                   docstrs docstrs-strtab procprops)
+             debug-tables
+             (list shstrtab)))))
 
 
 
@@ -2606,9 +2611,10 @@ procedure with label @var{rw-init}.  @var{rw-init} may be false.  If
 ;;; High-level public interfaces.
 ;;;
 
-(define* (link-assembly asm #:key (page-aligned? #t))
+(define* (link-assembly asm #:key (page-aligned? #t) (debug? #t))
   "Produce an ELF image from the code and data emitted into @var{asm}.
 The result is a bytevector, by default linked so that read-only and
 writable data are on separate pages.  Pass @code{#:page-aligned? #f} to
-disable this behavior."
-  (link-elf (link-objects asm) #:page-aligned? page-aligned?))
+disable this behavior. Pass @code{debug? #f} to remove debug info from 
+the elf image"
+  (link-elf (link-objects asm debug?) #:page-aligned? page-aligned?))