diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index c223bc4..2f814be 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
     const skip_run_translated = b.option(bool, "skip-run-translated", "Main test suite skips run-translated tests") orelse false;
     const test_cross_targets = b.option(bool, "test-cross-targets", "Include cross-translation targets in the test cases") orelse false;
     const use_llvm = b.option(bool, "llvm", "Use LLVM backend to generate aro executable");
+    const link_libc = b.option(bool, "link-libc", "Link libc") orelse (optimize != .Debug);
 
     const aro = b.dependency("aro", .{
         .target = target,
@@ -40,6 +41,9 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
         .use_llvm = use_llvm,
         .use_lld = use_llvm,
     });
+    if (link_libc) {
+        translate_c_exe.linkLibC();
+    }
 
     b.installDirectory(.{
         .source_dir = aro.path("include"),
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index aa3aa19..f351581 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -7,11 +7,16 @@ const Translator = @import("Translator.zig");
 
 const fast_exit = @import("builtin").mode != .Debug;
 
-var general_purpose_allocator: std.heap.GeneralPurposeAllocator(.{}) = .init;
+var debug_allocator: std.heap.DebugAllocator(.{}) = .init;
 
 pub fn main() u8 {
-    const gpa = general_purpose_allocator.allocator();
-    defer _ = general_purpose_allocator.deinit();
+    const gpa = if (@import("builtin").link_libc)
+        std.heap.raw_c_allocator
+    else
+        debug_allocator.allocator();
+    defer if (!@import("builtin").link_libc) {
+        _ = debug_allocator.deinit();
+    };
 
     var arena_instance = std.heap.ArenaAllocator.init(std.heap.page_allocator);
     defer arena_instance.deinit();