diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index 27e2d7ef7d..878f2035df 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -377,6 +377,7 @@ def options(opt):
     opt.add_option('--nls', action='store_true', default=True, dest='nls',
                     help='Enable i18n (native language support) (default)')
     opt.add_option('--no-nls', action='store_false', dest='nls')
+    opt.add_option('--optimize', action='store_false', dest='debug')
     opt.add_option('--phone-home', action='store_false', default=False, dest='phone_home')
     opt.add_option('--stl-debug', action='store_true', default=False, dest='stl_debug',
                     help='Build with debugging for the STL')