diff --git a/ReactAndroid/build.gradle b/ReactAndroid/build.gradle
index 84207fb50578dc..343543143431bc 100644
--- a/ReactAndroid/build.gradle
+++ b/ReactAndroid/build.gradle
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ def dependenciesPath = System.getenv("REACT_NATIVE_DEPENDENCIES")
 // and the build will use that.
 def boostPath = dependenciesPath ?: System.getenv("REACT_NATIVE_BOOST_PATH")
 
+// Setup build type for NDK, supported values: {debug, release}
+def nativeBuildType = System.getenv("NATIVE_BUILD_TYPE") ?: "release"
+
 task createNativeDepsDirectories {
     downloadsDir.mkdirs()
     thirdPartyNdkDir.mkdirs()
@@ -225,6 +228,7 @@ task buildReactNdkLib(dependsOn: [prepareJSC, prepareBoost, prepareDoubleConvers
     inputs.dir("src/main/java/com/facebook/react/modules/blob")
     outputs.dir("$buildDir/react-ndk/all")
     commandLine(getNdkBuildFullPath(),
+            "NDK_DEBUG=" + (nativeBuildType.equalsIgnoreCase("debug") ? "1" : "0"),
             "NDK_PROJECT_PATH=null",
             "NDK_APPLICATION_MK=$projectDir/src/main/jni/Application.mk",
             "NDK_OUT=" + temporaryDir,
diff --git a/ReactAndroid/src/main/jni/react/jni/Android.mk b/ReactAndroid/src/main/jni/react/jni/Android.mk
index 1cf03a78a5ea19..28c1fae096e7bf 100644
--- a/ReactAndroid/src/main/jni/react/jni/Android.mk
+++ b/ReactAndroid/src/main/jni/react/jni/Android.mk
@@ -36,6 +36,14 @@ LOCAL_MODULE := reactnativejni
 # Compile all local c++ files.
 LOCAL_SRC_FILES := $(wildcard *.cpp)
 
+ifeq ($(APP_OPTIM),debug)
+  # Keep symbols by overriding the strip command invoked by ndk-build.
+  # Note that this will apply to all shared libraries,
+  # i.e. shared libraries will NOT be stripped
+  # even though we override it in this Android.mk
+  cmd-strip :=
+endif
+
 # Build the files in this directory as a shared library
 include $(BUILD_SHARED_LIBRARY)
 
diff --git a/ReactAndroid/src/main/jni/third-party/folly/Android.mk b/ReactAndroid/src/main/jni/third-party/folly/Android.mk
index c84f2d9330b419..7da39f37737875 100644
--- a/ReactAndroid/src/main/jni/third-party/folly/Android.mk
+++ b/ReactAndroid/src/main/jni/third-party/folly/Android.mk
@@ -17,6 +17,14 @@ LOCAL_SRC_FILES:= \
   folly/container/detail/F14Table.cpp \
   folly/ScopeGuard.cpp \
 
+ifeq ($(APP_OPTIM),debug)
+  LOCAL_SRC_FILES += \
+    folly/lang/Assume.cpp \
+    folly/lang/SafeAssert.cpp \
+    folly/FileUtil.cpp \
+    folly/portability/SysUio.cpp
+endif
+
 LOCAL_C_INCLUDES := $(LOCAL_PATH)
 LOCAL_EXPORT_C_INCLUDES := $(LOCAL_PATH)