diff --git a/Make.inc b/Make.inc
index 937f146b0150c..bc8f5b94f259b 100644
--- a/Make.inc
+++ b/Make.inc
@@ -1500,6 +1500,12 @@ endef
 # Overridable in Make.user
 WINE ?= wine
 
+ifeq ($(BINARY),32)
+HEAPLIM := --heap-size-hint=500M
+else
+HEAPLIM :=
+endif
+
 # many of the following targets must be = not := because the expansion of the makefile functions (and $1) shouldn't happen until later
 ifeq ($(BUILD_OS), WINNT) # MSYS
 spawn = $(1)
diff --git a/contrib/generate_precompile.jl b/contrib/generate_precompile.jl
index 7312726fe2eaa..fea4ca6bc1fe3 100644
--- a/contrib/generate_precompile.jl
+++ b/contrib/generate_precompile.jl
@@ -465,6 +465,7 @@ generate_precompile_statements() = try # Make sure `ansi_enablecursor` is printe
     print("Total ─────── "); Base.time_print(stdout, tot_time); println()
 finally
     fancyprint && print(ansi_enablecursor)
+    GC.gc(true); GC.gc(false); # reduce memory footprint
     return
 end
 
diff --git a/sysimage.mk b/sysimage.mk
index e5bbfad119131..993ee9a990058 100644
--- a/sysimage.mk
+++ b/sysimage.mk
@@ -59,14 +59,14 @@ RELBUILDROOT := $(call rel_path,$(JULIAHOME)/base,$(BUILDROOT)/base)/ # <-- make
 
 $(build_private_libdir)/corecompiler.ji: $(COMPILER_SRCS)
 	@$(call PRINT_JULIA, cd $(JULIAHOME)/base && \
-	$(call spawn,$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE)) -C "$(JULIA_CPU_TARGET)" --output-ji $(call cygpath_w,$@).tmp \
+	$(call spawn,$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE)) -C "$(JULIA_CPU_TARGET)" $(HEAPLIM) --output-ji $(call cygpath_w,$@).tmp \
 		--startup-file=no --warn-overwrite=yes -g$(BOOTSTRAP_DEBUG_LEVEL) -O0 compiler/compiler.jl)
 	@mv $@.tmp $@
 
 $(build_private_libdir)/sys.ji: $(build_private_libdir)/corecompiler.ji $(JULIAHOME)/VERSION $(BASE_SRCS) $(STDLIB_SRCS)
 	@$(call PRINT_JULIA, cd $(JULIAHOME)/base && \
 	if ! JULIA_BINDIR=$(call cygpath_w,$(build_bindir)) WINEPATH="$(call cygpath_w,$(build_bindir));$$WINEPATH" \
-			$(call spawn, $(JULIA_EXECUTABLE)) -g1 -O0 -C "$(JULIA_CPU_TARGET)" --output-ji $(call cygpath_w,$@).tmp $(JULIA_SYSIMG_BUILD_FLAGS) \
+			$(call spawn, $(JULIA_EXECUTABLE)) -g1 -O0 -C "$(JULIA_CPU_TARGET)" $(HEAPLIM) --output-ji $(call cygpath_w,$@).tmp $(JULIA_SYSIMG_BUILD_FLAGS) \
 			--startup-file=no --warn-overwrite=yes --sysimage $(call cygpath_w,$<) sysimg.jl $(RELBUILDROOT); then \
 		echo '*** This error might be fixed by running `make clean`. If the error persists$(COMMA) try `make cleanall`. ***'; \
 		false; \
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ $$(build_private_libdir)/sys$1-o.a $$(build_private_libdir)/sys$1-bc.a : $$(buil
 		 JULIA_PROJECT= \
 		 JULIA_DEPOT_PATH=':' \
 		 JULIA_NUM_THREADS=1 \
-			$$(call spawn, $3) $2 -C "$$(JULIA_CPU_TARGET)" --output-$$* $$(call cygpath_w,$$@).tmp $$(JULIA_SYSIMG_BUILD_FLAGS) \
+			$$(call spawn, $3) $2 -C "$$(JULIA_CPU_TARGET)" $$(HEAPLIM) --output-$$* $$(call cygpath_w,$$@).tmp $$(JULIA_SYSIMG_BUILD_FLAGS) \
 			--startup-file=no --warn-overwrite=yes --sysimage $$(call cygpath_w,$$<) $$(call cygpath_w,$$(JULIAHOME)/contrib/generate_precompile.jl) $(JULIA_PRECOMPILE); then \
 		echo '*** This error is usually fixed by running `make clean`. If the error persists$$(COMMA) try `make cleanall`. ***'; \
 		false; \