diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 23b675ea8..6570118f4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@ jobs:
 
           cd linux
 
+          # disable debug-info because we don't want a 800MB image
+          sed --in-place 's/debug-info: true/debug-info: false/' debian/config/defines
+
           # apply debian patches
           debian/bin/genorig.py ../linux-$KERNEL_VERSION.tar.xz
           debian/rules orig