diff --git a/scripts/model_compiler.py b/scripts/model_compiler.py
index f3db6079d..e39e447fd 100644
--- a/scripts/model_compiler.py
+++ b/scripts/model_compiler.py
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ def compile_driving(
     for qcom_only_flag in ("IMAGE", "NOLOCALS", "OPENPILOT_HACKS"):
       compile_env.pop(qcom_only_flag, None)
     compile_env.update({
-      "DEBUG": "2",
+      "DEBUG": "1",
       "DEV": "USB+AMD:LLVM",
       "WARP_DEV": "QCOM",
       "FLOAT16": "1",
diff --git a/starpilot/assets/tests/test_model_pipeline.py b/starpilot/assets/tests/test_model_pipeline.py
index ae70ef119..2f3b5be99 100644
--- a/starpilot/assets/tests/test_model_pipeline.py
+++ b/starpilot/assets/tests/test_model_pipeline.py
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ def test_external_gpu_compilation_is_opt_in(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
   assert normal_kwargs["env"]["DEV"] == "QCOM"
   assert normal_kwargs["env"]["IMAGE"] == "2"
   assert "--out-of-band" in external_command
+  assert external_kwargs["env"]["DEBUG"] == "1"
   assert external_kwargs["env"]["DEV"] == "USB+AMD:LLVM"
   assert external_kwargs["env"]["WARP_DEV"] == "QCOM"
   assert all(flag not in external_kwargs["env"] for flag in ("IMAGE", "NOLOCALS", "OPENPILOT_HACKS"))