diff --git a/compiler/main.v b/compiler/main.v
index d28e7f2727..78b369961a 100644
--- a/compiler/main.v
+++ b/compiler/main.v
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ mut:
 	is_run         bool
 	show_c_cmd     bool // `v -show_c_cmd` prints the C command to build program.v.c
 	sanitize       bool // use Clang's new "-fsanitize" option
+	is_debug       bool // keep compiled C files
 }
 
 
@@ -615,7 +616,7 @@ mut args := ''
 		}
 		println('linux cross compilation done. resulting binary: "$v.out_name"')
 	}
-	if v.out_name_c != 'v.c' && v.out_name_c != 'v_macos.c' { 
+	if !v.pref.is_debug && v.out_name_c != 'v.c' && v.out_name_c != 'v_macos.c' {
 		os.rm('$TmpPath/$v.out_name_c') 
 	} 
 }
@@ -925,6 +926,7 @@ fn new_v(args[]string) *V {
 		is_play: args.contains('play')
 		is_prod: args.contains('-prod')
 		is_verbose: args.contains('-verbose')
+		is_debug: args.contains('-debug')
 		obfuscate: obfuscate
 		is_prof: args.contains('-prof')
 		is_live: args.contains('-live')