diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cb5790580fca..14781f36e327 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -517,6 +517,10 @@ else
 CFLAGS		+= -fomit-frame-pointer
 endif
 
+ifdef CONFIG_UNWIND_INFO
+CFLAGS		+= -fasynchronous-unwind-tables
+endif
+
 ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_INFO
 CFLAGS		+= -g
 endif
diff --git a/lib/Kconfig.debug b/lib/Kconfig.debug
index a314e663d517..f2618e1c2b93 100644
--- a/lib/Kconfig.debug
+++ b/lib/Kconfig.debug
@@ -195,6 +195,17 @@ config FRAME_POINTER
 	  some architectures or if you use external debuggers.
 	  If you don't debug the kernel, you can say N.
 
+config UNWIND_INFO
+	bool "Compile the kernel with frame unwind information"
+	depends on !IA64
+	depends on !MODULES || !(MIPS || PARISC || PPC || SUPERH || SPARC64 || V850)
+	default DEBUG_KERNEL
+	help
+	  If you say Y here the resulting kernel image will be slightly larger
+	  but not slower, and it will give very useful debugging information.
+	  If you don't debug the kernel, you can say N, but we may not be able
+	  to solve problems without frame unwind information or frame pointers.
+
 config FORCED_INLINING
 	bool "Force gcc to inline functions marked 'inline'"
 	depends on DEBUG_KERNEL