diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/Makefile.common b/polymer/eduke32/Makefile.common
index cc98d5836..3d212f2bc 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/Makefile.common
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/Makefile.common
@@ -163,10 +163,16 @@ DISABLEINLINING?=0
 FORCEWARNINGS?=0
 EFENCE?=0
 DMALLOC?=0
-OPTLEVEL?=2
 PROFILER?=0
 MUDFLAP?=0
 
+# Select the default optimization level for release and debug builds.
+ifeq ($RELEASE,0)
+    OPTLEVEL?=0
+else
+    OPTLEVEL?=2
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(RELEASE),0)
     override STRIP=
 endif
@@ -311,9 +317,10 @@ ifneq ($(RELEASE)$(DEBUGANYWAY),10)
     endif
 endif
 
+debug+= -O$(OPTLEVEL)
+
 ifneq (0,$(RELEASE))
     # Debugging disabled
-    debug+= -O$(OPTLEVEL)
     ifeq (0,$(CLANG))
         debug+= -funswitch-loops
         ifeq (1,$(strip $(shell expr $(GCC_MAJOR) \< 4)))
@@ -336,8 +343,6 @@ ifneq (0,$(RELEASE))
     endif
 else
     # Debugging enabled
-    debug+= -O0
-
     ifeq (0,$(DEBUGANYWAY))
         debug+= -DDEBUGGINGAIDS
     else
diff --git a/polymer/eduke32/build/Makefile b/polymer/eduke32/build/Makefile
index 8e0ae36c6..448dfd35e 100644
--- a/polymer/eduke32/build/Makefile
+++ b/polymer/eduke32/build/Makefile
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ $(OBJ)/%.$o: $(SRC)/%.nasm
 # Comment out the following rule to debug a-c.o
 $(OBJ)/a-c.$o: $(SRC)/a-c.c
 	$(COMPILE_STATUS)
-	if $(COMPILER) $(subst -O0,-O2,$(subst -fsanitize=address -fsanitize=undefined,,$(OURCFLAGS))) -c $< -o $@; then $(COMPILE_OK); else $(COMPILE_FAILED); fi
+	if $(COMPILER) $(subst -O$(OPTLEVEL),-O2,$(subst -fsanitize=address -fsanitize=undefined,,$(OURCFLAGS))) -c $< -o $@; then $(COMPILE_OK); else $(COMPILE_FAILED); fi
 # KEEPINSYNC the Clang -f option(s) with Makefile.common
 
 $(OBJ)/%.$o: $(SRC)/%.c