diff --git a/srcpkgs/firefox/template b/srcpkgs/firefox/template
index f599561489c..3a689c0b2a6 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/firefox/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/firefox/template
@@ -211,6 +211,16 @@ do_build() {
 	MOZ_APP_REMOTINGNAME=Firefox
 	!
 
+	# work around large debug symbols on 32-bit hosts
+	if [ "$XBPS_WORDSIZE" = "32" ]; then
+		echo "ac_add_options --disable-debug-symbols" >>.mozconfig
+		echo "ac_add_options --disable-debug" >>.mozconfig
+		export LDFLAGS+=" -Wl,--no-keep-memory"
+		# patch the rust debug level, this is hardcoded
+		vsed -i 's/debug_info = "2"/debug_info = "0"/' \
+			build/moz.configure/toolchain.configure
+	fi
+
 	if [ "$SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH" ]; then
 		export MOZ_BUILD_DATE=$(date --date "@$SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH" "+%Y%m%d%H%M%S")
 	fi