diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index 2631186..a6671ef 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ fn addKernel(
             .sanitize_c = .off, // the UBSan runtime needs f128/SSE support we don't provide
             .stack_check = false, // stack-probe calls have no runtime to land in
             .stack_protector = false,
+            .strip = optimize != .Debug, // DWARF info doubles the flashable image; keep it only for debug builds
             .imports = &.{
                 .{ .name = "boot-handoff", .module = modules.boot_handoff },
                 .{ .name = "abi", .module = modules.abi },