diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 924300c..e0446a1 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ SUBDIRS = man src
 EXTRA_DIST = COMMERCIAL MAINTAINERS TRADEMARK LICENSE Packaging ReadMe-2.4.3 README.md autogen.sh autogen.sh.README touchconfig.sh contrib policy installer
 
 install-data-hook:
+	export INSTALL_STRIP_FLAG
 	prefix="$(prefix)" sysconfdir="$(sysconfdir)" \
         path_to_vi="$(path_to_vi)" path_to_sendmail="$(path_to_sendmail)" \
         ./installer/install.sh
diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index fd7dc2b..f9e3f25 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -798,6 +798,7 @@ uninstall-am:
 
 
 install-data-hook:
+	export INSTALL_STRIP_FLAG
 	prefix="$(prefix)" sysconfdir="$(sysconfdir)" \
         path_to_vi="$(path_to_vi)" path_to_sendmail="$(path_to_sendmail)" \
         ./installer/install.sh
diff --git a/installer/install.sh b/installer/install.sh
index e1d57ab..6957da9 100755
--- a/installer/install.sh
+++ b/installer/install.sh
@@ -605,6 +605,11 @@ for i in $loosefiles; do
        	fi
 done
 
+if [ -n "$INSTALL_STRIP_FLAG" ] ; then
+  echo "INSTALL_STRIP_FLAG is set, stripping binaries"
+  strip "$TWBIN/siggen" "$TWBIN/tripwire" "$TWBIN/twadmin" "$TWBIN/twprint" 
+fi
+
 #Make extra sure we don't install the unit test binary to sbin
 if  [ -e "$TWBIN/twtest" ] ; then
   rm -f "$TWBIN/twtest"