diff --git a/package/rsync/rsync.mk b/package/rsync/rsync.mk
index d171f94b4a..3754e60cd4 100644
--- a/package/rsync/rsync.mk
+++ b/package/rsync/rsync.mk
@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@ RSYNC_SITE:=http://rsync.samba.org/ftp/rsync/src
 RSYNC_AUTORECONF:=no
 RSYNC_INSTALL_STAGING:=NO
 RSYNC_INSTALL_TARGET:=YES
-ifeq ($(BR2_ENABLE_DEBUG),)
+ifeq ($(BR2_ENABLE_DEBUG),y)
+RSYNC_INSTALL_TARGET_OPT:=DESTDIR=$(TARGET_DIR) INSTALLCMD='./install-sh -c' \
+			  install
+else
 RSYNC_INSTALL_TARGET_OPT:=DESTDIR=$(TARGET_DIR) INSTALLCMD='./install-sh -c' \
 			  STRIPPROG="$(TARGET_STRIP)" install-strip
 endif