diff --git a/kotlin-native/backend.native/compiler/ir/backend.native/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/konan/RuntimeLinkageStrategy.kt b/kotlin-native/backend.native/compiler/ir/backend.native/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/konan/RuntimeLinkageStrategy.kt
index 7ccead0f0bb..dfedc9c288a 100644
--- a/kotlin-native/backend.native/compiler/ir/backend.native/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/konan/RuntimeLinkageStrategy.kt
+++ b/kotlin-native/backend.native/compiler/ir/backend.native/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/konan/RuntimeLinkageStrategy.kt
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ internal sealed class RuntimeLinkageStrategy {
                 runtimeLlvmModules == null -> return None
                 binaryOption == RuntimeLinkageStrategyBinaryOption.Raw -> Raw(runtimeLlvmModules)
                 binaryOption == RuntimeLinkageStrategyBinaryOption.Optimize -> LinkAndOptimize(context, runtimeLlvmModules)
-                context.config.debug -> Raw(runtimeLlvmModules)
+                context.config.debug -> LinkAndOptimize(context, runtimeLlvmModules)
                 else -> Raw(runtimeLlvmModules)
             }