diff --git a/pisi/configfile.py b/pisi/configfile.py
index 133dd6a8..a5beeb35 100644
--- a/pisi/configfile.py
+++ b/pisi/configfile.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #
 #[build]
 #host = i686-pc-linux-gnu
+#debug = False
 #jobs = "-j1"
 #CFLAGS= -mtune=i686 -O2 -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer
 #CXXFLAGS= -mtune=i686 -O2 -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ class BuildDefaults:
     """Default values for [build] section"""
     host = "i686-pc-linux-gnu"
     jobs = "-j1"   
+    debug = False
     CFLAGS = "-mtune=i686 -O2 -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer"
     CXXFLAGS = "-mtune=i686 -O2 -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer"
     LDFLAGS = ""
diff --git a/pisi/util.py b/pisi/util.py
index 8617836b..7ad8fea7 100644
--- a/pisi/util.py
+++ b/pisi/util.py
@@ -466,15 +466,32 @@ def strip_file(filepath):
         if ret:
             ctx.ui.warning(_("strip command failed for file '%s'!") % f)
 
+    def save_elf_debug(f):
+        """copy debug info into /debug/file.debug file"""
+        p = os.popen("objcopy --only-keep-debug %s /debug/%s.debug" % (f, os.path.basename(f)))
+        ret = p.close()
+        if ret:
+            ctx.ui.warning(_("objcopy (keep-debug) command failed for file '%s'!") % f)
+        
+        """mark binary/shared objects to use /debug/file.debug"""
+        p = os.popen("objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=/debug/%s.debug %s" % (os.path.basename(f), f))
+        ret = p.close()
+        if ret:
+            ctx.ui.warning(_("objcopy (add-debuglink) command failed for file '%s'!") % f)
+
     if "current ar archive" in o:
         run_strip(filepath, "-g")
         return True
 
     elif "SB executable" in o:
+        if ctx.config.values.build.debug == "True":
+            save_elf_debug(filepath)
         run_strip(filepath)
         return True
 
     elif "SB shared object" in o:
+        if ctx.config.values.build.debug == "True":
+            save_elf_debug(filepath)
         run_strip(filepath, "--strip-unneeded")
         # FIXME: warn for TEXTREL
         return True