diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index f4500d752522..29d13c3a1931 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ opts.Add(
     )
 )
 opts.Add(BoolVariable("debug_symbols", "Build with debugging symbols", False))
-opts.Add(BoolVariable("separate_debug_symbols", "Extract debugging symbols to a separate file", False))
+opts.Add(BoolVariable("separate_debug_symbols", "Extract debugging symbols to a separate file", True))
 opts.Add(BoolVariable("debug_paths_relative", "Make file paths in debug symbols relative (if supported)", False))
 opts.Add(EnumVariable("lto", "Link-time optimization (production builds)", "none", ("none", "auto", "thin", "full")))
 opts.Add(BoolVariable("production", "Set defaults to build Godot for use in production", False))