diff --git a/bin/9c b/bin/9c
index 63840b19..de8f81e9 100755
--- a/bin/9c
+++ b/bin/9c
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ usexlc()
 	cc=${CC9:-xlc_r}
 	cflags=" \
 		-c \
-		-O0 \
+		-O2 \
 		-qmaxmem=-1 \
 		-qsuppress=1506-236 \
 		-qsuppress=1506-358 \
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ usexlc()
 		-qsuppress=1506-1300 \
 		-qsuppress=1506-342 \
 	"
-	cflags="$cflags -g -qfullpath"
+	cflags="$cflags -g -qdbxextra -qfullpath"
 	cflags="$cflags $CC9FLAGS"
 }
 
diff --git a/bin/9l b/bin/9l
index abca55fc..d7c9e2dd 100755
--- a/bin/9l
+++ b/bin/9l
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ case "$tag" in
 	esac
 	;;
 *AIX*)
-	ld="${CC9:-xlc_r} -g -O0 $CC9FLAGS"
+	ld="${CC9:-xlc_r} $CC9FLAGS"
 	nmflags="-A -B"
 	;;
 *)