diff --git a/package/Makefile.autotools.in b/package/Makefile.autotools.in
index 0760063005..0925feb06b 100644
--- a/package/Makefile.autotools.in
+++ b/package/Makefile.autotools.in
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 #	install the package to the target directory
 # FOO_INSTALL_STAGING_OPT [default DESTDIR=$(STAGING_DIR) install]
 #	arguments passed to <make> while installing to the staging directory
-# FOO_INSTALL_TARGET_OPT [default DESTDIR=$(TARGET_DIR) install-exec]
+# FOO_INSTALL_TARGET_OPT [default DESTDIR=$(TARGET_DIR) install-exec/install-strip]
 #	arguments passed to <make> while installing to the target directory
 # FOO_CLEAN_OPT [default clean]
 #	arguments passed to <make> while installing to the staging directory
@@ -308,7 +308,11 @@ $(2)_MAKE_OPT			?=
 $(2)_INSTALL_STAGING		?= NO
 $(2)_INSTALL_TARGET		?= YES
 $(2)_INSTALL_STAGING_OPT	?= DESTDIR=$$(STAGING_DIR) install
+ifeq ($(BR2_ENABLE_DEBUG),y)
 $(2)_INSTALL_TARGET_OPT		?= DESTDIR=$$(TARGET_DIR)  install-exec
+else
+$(2)_INSTALL_TARGET_OPT		?= DESTDIR=$$(TARGET_DIR)  install-strip
+endif
 $(2)_CLEAN_OPT			?= clean
 $(2)_UNINSTALL_STAGING_OPT	?= DESTDIR=$$(STAGING_DIR) uninstall
 $(2)_UNINSTALL_TARGET_OPT	?= DESTDIR=$$(TARGET_DIR)  uninstall