diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/ncurses/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/ncurses/default.nix
index 815db76d5ac..f5995a8f480 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/ncurses/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/ncurses/default.nix
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     "--enable-pc-files"
     "--enable-symlinks"
     "--with-manpage-format=normal"
+    "--disable-stripping"
   ] ++ lib.optional unicode "--enable-widec"
     ++ lib.optional (!withCxx) "--without-cxx"
     ++ lib.optional (abiVersion == "5") "--with-abi-version=5"