diff --git a/.github/actions/update-version/action.yml b/.github/actions/update-version/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0a9695ef7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/update-version/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+name: 'Update version'
+description: 'Update version in repo without committing. Repo must already be checked out'
+inputs:
+  new_version:
+    description: Version string to set
+    required: true
+
+runs:
+  using: "composite"
+  steps:
+  - name: Update __version__ in aerospike module
+    run: sed -i "s/const char version\[] = \".*\";/const char version\[] = \"${{ inputs.new_version }}\";/" src/main/aerospike.c
+    shell: bash
+
+  - name: Update VERSION metadata
+    run: echo ${{ inputs.new_version }} > VERSION
+    shell: bash
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-wheels.yml b/.github/workflows/build-wheels.yml
index 2036b69d0..3a4323faf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-wheels.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-wheels.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name: Build wheels
-run-name: Build wheels (run_tests=${{ inputs.run_tests }}, use-server-rc=${{ inputs.use-server-rc }}, server-tag=${{ inputs.server-tag }}, test-macos-x86=${{ inputs.test-macos-x86 }})
+run-name: Build wheels (run_tests=${{ inputs.run_tests }}, use-server-rc=${{ inputs.use-server-rc }}, server-tag=${{ inputs.server-tag }}, test-macos-x86=${{ inputs.test-macos-x86 }}, build-for-debugging=${{ inputs.build-for-debugging }})
 
 # Builds manylinux wheels and source distribution
 # If running tests, publish results in commit status
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ on:
         type: boolean
         default: false
         description: 'Test macOS x86 wheels (unstable)'
+      build-for-debugging:
+        required: true
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
+        description: 'Apply -O0 when building C client and Python client? (Linux)'
   workflow_call:
     inputs:
       # The "dev" tests test the artifacts against a server release
@@ -41,7 +46,7 @@ on:
       ref:
         type: string
         required: false
-      # Calling workflow doesn't actually use the 2 options below
+      # Calling workflow doesn't actually use the options below
       # But we need to set default values for workflow calls to use
       use-server-rc:
         required: false
@@ -55,6 +60,10 @@ on:
         required: false
         type: boolean
         default: false
+      build-for-debugging:
+        required: false
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
     secrets:
       DOCKER_HUB_BOT_USERNAME:
         required: false
@@ -151,9 +160,24 @@ jobs:
       if: ${{ !inputs.run_tests }}
       run: echo "TEST_COMMAND=python -c 'import aerospike'" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
+    - name: Get current version if building a debug wheel
+      if: ${{ inputs.build-for-debugging }}
+      run: echo DEBUG_VERSION="$(cat VERSION)+unoptimized" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+    - name: Label version for debugging
+      if: ${{ inputs.build-for-debugging }}
+      uses: ./.github/actions/update-version
+      with:
+        new_version: ${{ env.DEBUG_VERSION }}
+
+    - name: Build without optimizations
+      if: ${{ inputs.build-for-debugging }}
+      run: echo "UNOPTIMIZED=1" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
     - name: Build wheel
       uses: pypa/cibuildwheel@v2.15.0
       env:
+        CIBW_ENVIRONMENT_PASS_LINUX: ${{ inputs.build-for-debugging && 'UNOPTIMIZED' || '' }}
         CIBW_BUILD: ${{ matrix.python }}-manylinux_${{ matrix.platform }}
         CIBW_BUILD_FRONTEND: build
         CIBW_BEFORE_ALL_LINUX: >
diff --git a/.github/workflows/update-version.yml b/.github/workflows/update-version.yml
index 0f51501e9..f716ac7eb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update-version.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-version.yml
@@ -45,11 +45,10 @@ jobs:
         token: ${{ secrets.CLIENT_BOT_PAT }}
         ref: ${{ inputs.ref }}
 
-    - name: Update __version__ in aerospike module
-      run: sed -i "s/const char version\[] = \".*\";/const char version\[] = \"${{ inputs.new_version }}\";/" src/main/aerospike.c
-
-    - name: Update VERSION metadata
-      run: echo ${{ inputs.new_version }} > VERSION
+    - name: Update version in repo
+      uses: ./.github/actions/update-version
+      with:
+        new_version: ${{ inputs.new_version }}
 
     - name: Commit new version
       uses: stefanzweifel/git-auto-commit-action@v4
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index cc95a5eeb..6466a0d46 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@
 # Not for developers to use, unless you know what the workflow is doing!
 COVERAGE = os.getenv('COVERAGE')
 
+# Applies no optimizations on both the C client and Python client
+UNOPTIMIZED = os.getenv('UNOPTIMIZED')
+
 ################################################################################
 # GENERIC BUILD SETTINGS
 ################################################################################
@@ -107,13 +110,8 @@
     extra_compile_args.append('-ftest-coverage')
     extra_link_args.append('-lgcov')
 
-# TODO: this conflicts with the C client's DEBUG mode when building it
-# DEBUG = os.getenv('DEBUG')
-# if DEBUG:
-#     extra_compile_args.append("-O0")
-# else:
-#     # Release build
-#     extra_compile_args.append("-O1")
+if UNOPTIMIZED:
+    extra_compile_args.append('-O0')
 
 ################################################################################
 # STATIC SSL LINKING BUILD SETTINGS
@@ -228,6 +226,8 @@ def clean():
                 'make',
                 'V=' + str(self.verbose),
             ]
+            if UNOPTIMIZED:
+                cmd.append('O=0')
 
         def compile():
             print(cmd, library_dirs, libraries)