diff --git a/cmake/QtCreatorAPI.cmake b/cmake/QtCreatorAPI.cmake
index fcbb67e7352..5e88b575120 100644
--- a/cmake/QtCreatorAPI.cmake
+++ b/cmake/QtCreatorAPI.cmake
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ set(_THIS_MODULE_BASE_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}")
 option(BUILD_PLUGINS_BY_DEFAULT "Build plugins by default. This can be used to build all plugins by default, or none." ON)
 option(BUILD_EXECUTABLES_BY_DEFAULT "Build executables by default. This can be used to build all executables by default, or none." ON)
 option(BUILD_LIBRARIES_BY_DEFAULT "Build libraries by default. This can be used to build all libraries by default, or none." ON)
+option(QTC_SEPARATE_DEBUG_INFO "Extract debug information from binary files." OFF)
 
 function(qtc_plugin_enabled varName name)
   if (NOT (name IN_LIST __QTC_PLUGINS))
diff --git a/cmake/QtcSeparateDebugInfo.cmake b/cmake/QtcSeparateDebugInfo.cmake
index 7cc8ff3f0d6..768e2974612 100644
--- a/cmake/QtcSeparateDebugInfo.cmake
+++ b/cmake/QtcSeparateDebugInfo.cmake
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ set(CMAKE_CURRENT_FUNCTION_LIST_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR})
 endif()
 
 # Enable separate debug information for the given target
-# when doing RelWithDebInfo build
+# when QTC_SEPARATE_DEBUG_INFO is set
 function(qtc_enable_separate_debug_info target installDestination)
-    if (NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL RelWithDebInfo)
+    if (NOT QTC_SEPARATE_DEBUG_INFO)
         return()
     endif()
     if (NOT UNIX AND NOT MINGW)
diff --git a/scripts/build.py b/scripts/build.py
index 1aa491f1bc1..afc289fd327 100755
--- a/scripts/build.py
+++ b/scripts/build.py
@@ -119,9 +119,11 @@ def build_qtcreator(args, paths):
     with_docs_str = 'OFF' if args.no_docs else 'ON'
     build_date_option = 'OFF' if args.no_build_date else 'ON'
     test_option = 'ON' if args.with_tests else 'OFF'
+    separate_debug_info_option = 'ON' if args.with_debug_info else 'OFF'
     cmake_args = ['cmake',
                   '-DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=' + ';'.join(prefix_paths),
                   '-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=' + args.build_type,
+                  '-DQTC_SEPARATE_DEBUG_INFO=' + separate_debug_info_option,
                   '-DSHOW_BUILD_DATE=' + build_date_option,
                   '-DWITH_DOCS=' + with_docs_str,
                   '-DBUILD_DEVELOPER_DOCS=' + with_docs_str,
diff --git a/scripts/build_plugin.py b/scripts/build_plugin.py
index c1b12a97f9e..8ec5eb44641 100755
--- a/scripts/build_plugin.py
+++ b/scripts/build_plugin.py
@@ -70,9 +70,11 @@ def build(args, paths):
         os.makedirs(paths.result)
     prefix_paths = [os.path.abspath(fp) for fp in args.prefix_paths] + [paths.qt_creator, paths.qt]
     prefix_paths = [common.to_posix_path(fp) for fp in prefix_paths]
+    separate_debug_info_option = 'ON' if args.with_debug_info else 'OFF'
     cmake_args = ['cmake',
                   '-DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=' + ';'.join(prefix_paths),
                   '-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=' + args.build_type,
+                  '-DQTC_SEPARATE_DEBUG_INFO=' + separate_debug_info_option,
                   '-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=' + common.to_posix_path(paths.install),
                   '-G', 'Ninja']