diff --git a/cmd/common/compile.go b/cmd/common/compile.go
index 4e844708..5bca20d1 100644
--- a/cmd/common/compile.go
+++ b/cmd/common/compile.go
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ const makefileName = "Makefile"
 var defaultWasmOutput = filepath.Join("wasm", "workflow.wasm")
 
 // getBuildCmd returns a single step that builds the workflow and returns the WASM bytes.
-func getBuildCmd(workflowRootFolder, mainFile, language string) (func() ([]byte, error), error) {
+// If stripSymbols is true, debug symbols are stripped from the binary to reduce size.
+func getBuildCmd(workflowRootFolder, mainFile, language string, stripSymbols bool) (func() ([]byte, error), error) {
 	tmpPath := filepath.Join(workflowRootFolder, ".cre_build_tmp.wasm")
 	switch language {
 	case constants.WorkflowLanguageTypeScript:
@@ -33,11 +34,15 @@ func getBuildCmd(workflowRootFolder, mainFile, language string) (func() ([]byte,
 		}, nil
 	case constants.WorkflowLanguageGolang:
 		// Build the package (.) so all .go files (main.go, workflow.go, etc.) are compiled together
+		ldflags := "-buildid="
+		if stripSymbols {
+			ldflags = "-buildid= -w -s"
+		}
 		cmd := exec.Command(
 			"go", "build",
 			"-o", tmpPath,
 			"-trimpath",
-			"-ldflags=-buildid= -w -s",
+			"-ldflags="+ldflags,
 			".",
 		)
 		cmd.Dir = workflowRootFolder
@@ -68,11 +73,15 @@ func getBuildCmd(workflowRootFolder, mainFile, language string) (func() ([]byte,
 		}, nil
 	default:
 		// Build the package (.) so all .go files are compiled together
+		ldflags := "-buildid="
+		if stripSymbols {
+			ldflags = "-buildid= -w -s"
+		}
 		cmd := exec.Command(
 			"go", "build",
 			"-o", tmpPath,
 			"-trimpath",
-			"-ldflags=-buildid= -w -s",
+			"-ldflags="+ldflags,
 			".",
 		)
 		cmd.Dir = workflowRootFolder
@@ -90,8 +99,10 @@ func getBuildCmd(workflowRootFolder, mainFile, language string) (func() ([]byte,
 }
 
 // CompileWorkflowToWasm compiles the workflow at workflowPath and returns the WASM binary.
-// It runs the sequence of commands from getBuildCmds (make build + copy for WASM, or single build for Go/TS), then reads the temp WASM file.
-func CompileWorkflowToWasm(workflowPath string) ([]byte, error) {
+// If stripSymbols is true, debug symbols are stripped to reduce binary size (used for deploy).
+// If false, debug symbols are kept for better error messages (used for simulate).
+// For custom builds (WASM language with Makefile), stripSymbols has no effect.
+func CompileWorkflowToWasm(workflowPath string, stripSymbols bool) ([]byte, error) {
 	workflowRootFolder, workflowMainFile, err := WorkflowPathRootAndMain(workflowPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("workflow path: %w", err)
@@ -122,7 +133,7 @@ func CompileWorkflowToWasm(workflowPath string) ([]byte, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unsupported workflow language for file %s", workflowMainFile)
 	}
 
-	buildStep, err := getBuildCmd(workflowRootFolder, workflowMainFile, language)
+	buildStep, err := getBuildCmd(workflowRootFolder, workflowMainFile, language, stripSymbols)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/common/compile_test.go b/cmd/common/compile_test.go
index aec71b63..0280c9f1 100644
--- a/cmd/common/compile_test.go
+++ b/cmd/common/compile_test.go
@@ -40,21 +40,21 @@ func TestFindMakefileRoot(t *testing.T) {
 func TestCompileWorkflowToWasm_Go_Success(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("basic_workflow", func(t *testing.T) {
 		path := deployTestdataPath("basic_workflow", "main.go")
-		wasm, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(path)
+		wasm, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(path, true)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.NotEmpty(t, wasm)
 	})
 
 	t.Run("configless_workflow", func(t *testing.T) {
 		path := deployTestdataPath("configless_workflow", "main.go")
-		wasm, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(path)
+		wasm, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(path, true)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.NotEmpty(t, wasm)
 	})
 
 	t.Run("missing_go_mod", func(t *testing.T) {
 		path := deployTestdataPath("missing_go_mod", "main.go")
-		wasm, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(path)
+		wasm, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(path, true)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.NotEmpty(t, wasm)
 	})
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func TestCompileWorkflowToWasm_Go_Success(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestCompileWorkflowToWasm_Go_Malformed_Fails(t *testing.T) {
 	path := deployTestdataPath("malformed_workflow", "main.go")
-	_, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(path)
+	_, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(path, true)
 	require.Error(t, err)
 	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "failed to compile workflow")
 	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "undefined: sdk.RemovedFunctionThatFailsCompilation")
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func TestCompileWorkflowToWasm_Wasm_Success(t *testing.T) {
 	_ = os.Remove(wasmPath)
 	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = os.Remove(wasmPath) })
 
-	wasm, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(wasmPath)
+	wasm, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(wasmPath, true)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.NotEmpty(t, wasm)
 
@@ -89,14 +89,14 @@ func TestCompileWorkflowToWasm_Wasm_Fails(t *testing.T) {
 		wasmPath := filepath.Join(wasmDir, "workflow.wasm")
 		require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(wasmPath, []byte("not really wasm"), 0600))
 
-		_, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(wasmPath)
+		_, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(wasmPath, true)
 		require.Error(t, err)
 		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "no Makefile found")
 	})
 
 	t.Run("make_build_fails", func(t *testing.T) {
 		path := deployTestdataPath("wasm_make_fails", "wasm", "workflow.wasm")
-		_, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(path)
+		_, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(path, true)
 		require.Error(t, err)
 		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "failed to compile workflow")
 		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "build output:")
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func TestCompileWorkflowToWasm_TS_Success(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := install.Run(); err != nil {
 		t.Skipf("bun install failed (network or cre-sdk): %v", err)
 	}
-	wasm, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(mainPath)
+	wasm, err := CompileWorkflowToWasm(mainPath, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Skipf("TS compile failed (published cre-sdk may lack full layout): %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/workflow/build/build.go b/cmd/workflow/build/build.go
index f1d3cc7e..b58c7e1a 100644
--- a/cmd/workflow/build/build.go
+++ b/cmd/workflow/build/build.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func execute(workflowFolder, outputPath string) error {
 	outputPath = cmdcommon.EnsureWasmExtension(outputPath)
 
 	ui.Dim("Compiling workflow...")
-	wasmBytes, err := cmdcommon.CompileWorkflowToWasm(resolvedPath)
+	wasmBytes, err := cmdcommon.CompileWorkflowToWasm(resolvedPath, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		ui.Error("Build failed:")
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to compile workflow: %w", err)
diff --git a/cmd/workflow/deploy/compile.go b/cmd/workflow/deploy/compile.go
index f2b1281d..4fa27b49 100644
--- a/cmd/workflow/deploy/compile.go
+++ b/cmd/workflow/deploy/compile.go
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func (h *handler) Compile() error {
 		h.runtimeContext.Workflow.Language = cmdcommon.GetWorkflowLanguage(workflowMainFile)
 	}
 
-	wasmFile, err = cmdcommon.CompileWorkflowToWasm(resolvedWorkflowPath)
+	wasmFile, err = cmdcommon.CompileWorkflowToWasm(resolvedWorkflowPath, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		ui.Error("Build failed:")
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to compile workflow: %w", err)
diff --git a/cmd/workflow/deploy/compile_test.go b/cmd/workflow/deploy/compile_test.go
index 02317b11..acc2a30d 100644
--- a/cmd/workflow/deploy/compile_test.go
+++ b/cmd/workflow/deploy/compile_test.go
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ func outputPathWithExtensions(path string) string {
 // file content equals CompileWorkflowToWasm(workflowPath) + brotli + base64.
 func assertCompileOutputMatchesUnderlying(t *testing.T, simulatedEnvironment *chainsim.SimulatedEnvironment, inputs Inputs, ownerType string) {
 	t.Helper()
-	wasm, err := cmdcommon.CompileWorkflowToWasm(inputs.WorkflowPath)
+	wasm, err := cmdcommon.CompileWorkflowToWasm(inputs.WorkflowPath, true)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	compressed, err := cmdcommon.CompressBrotli(wasm)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
diff --git a/cmd/workflow/simulate/simulate.go b/cmd/workflow/simulate/simulate.go
index f5ce48ff..7899b58e 100644
--- a/cmd/workflow/simulate/simulate.go
+++ b/cmd/workflow/simulate/simulate.go
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ func (h *handler) Execute(inputs Inputs) error {
 
 		spinner := ui.NewSpinner()
 		spinner.Start("Compiling workflow...")
-		wasmFileBinary, err = cmdcommon.CompileWorkflowToWasm(resolvedWorkflowPath)
+		wasmFileBinary, err = cmdcommon.CompileWorkflowToWasm(resolvedWorkflowPath, false)
 		spinner.Stop()
 		if err != nil {
 			ui.Error("Build failed:")