diff --git a/build/top.mk b/build/top.mk
index 82e3ff1db9d3fae791d4117bee25e90515333a0d..57af87d6c5f11c1245a93791c061bd2f1a57302c 100644
--- a/build/top.mk
+++ b/build/top.mk
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ INSTALL_PROGRAM = $(INSTALL)
 INSTALL_DATA = $(INSTALL) -m 644
 INSTALL_SCRIPT = $(INSTALL)
 
+STRIP = -s
+
 LINT = lint
 5LINT = 5lint
 
diff --git a/clients/tools/Makefile.in b/clients/tools/Makefile.in
index 7e1a610eb0ccb0fb3597504541ca9cec101b6877..d175e3bf9b53e709570f3591017e8ca69254158c 100644
--- a/clients/tools/Makefile.in
+++ b/clients/tools/Makefile.in
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ install-local:	FORCE
 	-$(MKDIR) $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)
 	@(								\
 	    for prg in $(PROGRAMS); do					\
-		$(LTINSTALL) $(INSTALLFLAGS) -s -m 755 $$prg$(EXEEXT)	\
+		$(LTINSTALL) $(INSTALLFLAGS) $(STRIP) -m 755 $$prg$(EXEEXT)	\
 		    $(DESTDIR)$(bindir);				\
 	    done							\
 	)
diff --git a/servers/slapd/Makefile.in b/servers/slapd/Makefile.in
index 79751ec1e468ab307779821a6b508ff7a52031e4..ef1e88c226598798a3d38a494a4cebe1c723c323 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/Makefile.in
+++ b/servers/slapd/Makefile.in
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ SLAPTOOLS=slapadd slapcat slapdn slapindex slappasswd slaptest slapauth slapacl
 PROGRAMS=slapd $(SLAPTOOLS)
 XPROGRAMS=sslapd libbackends.a .backend liboverlays.a
 XSRCS=version.c
-STRIP=-s
 
 SUBDIRS=back-* shell-backends slapi overlays
 
diff --git a/servers/slurpd/Makefile.in b/servers/slurpd/Makefile.in
index b9fe96367b730e1cb2e16c1e395cd9444c428aa2..f4f790b1a83688c2c88c813858820edddb6bafe2 100644
--- a/servers/slurpd/Makefile.in
+++ b/servers/slurpd/Makefile.in
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ install-local-srv: FORCE
 	@-$(INSTALL) -m 700 -d $(DESTDIR)$(localstatedir)/openldap-slurp
 	@(								\
 	    for prg in $(PROGRAMS); do					\
-		$(LTINSTALL) $(INSTALLFLAGS) -s -m 755 $$prg$(EXEEXT)	\
+		$(LTINSTALL) $(INSTALLFLAGS) $(STRIP) -m 755 $$prg$(EXEEXT)	\
 		    $(DESTDIR)$(libexecdir);				\
 	    done							\
 	)