diff --git a/src/aotcompile.cpp b/src/aotcompile.cpp
index d89ee519ed694..471e2c132843c 100644
--- a/src/aotcompile.cpp
+++ b/src/aotcompile.cpp
@@ -2088,8 +2088,10 @@ void jl_get_llvmf_defn_impl(jl_llvmf_dump_t* dump, jl_method_instance_t *mi, siz
         // differ very significantly from the actual non-imaging mode code.
         // // Force imaging mode for names of pointers
         // output.imaging = true;
-        // Force max debug info for introspection
-        output.debug_level = 2;
+        // Force at least medium debug info for introspection
+        // No debug info = no variable names,
+        // max debug info = llvm.dbg.declare/value intrinsics which clutter IR output
+        output.debug_level = std::max(1, static_cast<int>(jl_options.debug_level));
         auto decls = jl_emit_code(m, mi, src, jlrettype, output);
         JL_UNLOCK(&jl_codegen_lock); // Might GC