diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index b655128c57c762c4d5cc58bcbb3b5171b4b1f0d6..e434506847f5d0d3b1d492c7b65e9625aa02dcf4 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -445,8 +445,15 @@ cargo_wrapper_args = [
   '--libdir', get_option('libdir'),
 ]
 
-if not get_option('debug') or \
-   (is_msvc_style and get_option('buildtype') == 'debugoptimized')
+if get_option('debug')
+  optimization = get_option('optimization')
+  if optimization in ['0', '1', '2', '3', 's']
+    cargo_wrapper_args += ['--optimization', optimization]
+  elif optimization != 'plain' # g
+    cargo_wrapper_args += ['--optimization', '1']
+    # plain: https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/issues/7194
+  endif
+else
   cargo_wrapper_args += ['--release']
 endif
 
diff --git a/meson/cargo_wrapper.py b/meson/cargo_wrapper.py
index 48ce2f15ed8565aa2445f5d4104f059e596bc47b..98bda87b215ed53bac2904cf5b767e9ac8926303 100755
--- a/meson/cargo_wrapper.py
+++ b/meson/cargo_wrapper.py
@@ -57,10 +57,6 @@ parser.add_argument(
     "--build-triplet", help="Build toolchain triplet (for cross builds using specific toolchain version)"
 )
 
-parser.add_argument(
-    "--release", action="store_true", help="Build artifacts in release mode"
-)
-
 parser.add_argument(
     "--avif", action="store_true", help="Enable AVIF support"
 )
@@ -89,6 +85,15 @@ group.add_argument(
 )
 group.add_argument("--bin", help="Name of binary to build")
 
+g = parser.add_argument_group("Optimizations")
+group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group(required=False)
+group.add_argument(
+    "--release", action="store_true", help="Build artifacts in release mode"
+)
+group.add_argument(
+    '--optimization', type=int, help="Set optimization level"
+)
+
 args = parser.parse_args()
 
 if args.toolchain_version is not None and args.target is None and args.build_triplet is None:
@@ -163,6 +168,11 @@ if args.release:
     cargo_cmd.extend(['--release'])
 else:
     buildtype = 'debug'
+    if args.optimization:
+        if 'CARGO_BUILD_RUSTFLAGS' in env:
+            env['CARGO_BUILD_RUSTFLAGS'] = env['CARGO_BUILD_RUSTFLAGS'] + f' -C opt-level={args.optimization}'
+        else:
+            env['CARGO_BUILD_RUSTFLAGS'] = f'-C opt-level={args.optimization}'
 
 if args.target:
     cargo_cmd.extend(['--target', args.target])