diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 10c9936be1d9a..afcf23135d69e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -110,13 +110,7 @@ julia-src-release julia-src-debug : julia-src-% : julia-deps julia_flisp.boot.in
 julia-cli-release julia-cli-debug: julia-cli-% : julia-deps
 	@$(MAKE) $(QUIET_MAKE) -C $(BUILDROOT)/cli $*
 
-julia-sysimg-ji : $(TOP_LEVEL_PKG_LINK_TARGETS) julia-stdlib julia-base julia-cli-$(JULIA_BUILD_MODE) julia-src-$(JULIA_BUILD_MODE) | $(build_private_libdir)
-	@$(MAKE) $(QUIET_MAKE) -C $(BUILDROOT) -f sysimage.mk sysimg-ji JULIA_EXECUTABLE='$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE)'
-
-julia-sysimg-bc : $(TOP_LEVEL_PKG_LINK_TARGETS) julia-stdlib julia-base julia-cli-$(JULIA_BUILD_MODE) julia-src-$(JULIA_BUILD_MODE) | $(build_private_libdir)
-	@$(MAKE) $(QUIET_MAKE) -C $(BUILDROOT) -f sysimage.mk sysimg-bc JULIA_EXECUTABLE='$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE)'
-
-julia-sysimg-release julia-sysimg-debug : julia-sysimg-% : julia-sysimg-ji julia-src-%
+julia-sysimg-release julia-sysimg-debug : julia-sysimg-% : julia-src-% $(TOP_LEVEL_PKG_LINK_TARGETS) julia-stdlib julia-base julia-cli-% julia-src-% | $(build_private_libdir)
 	@$(MAKE) $(QUIET_MAKE) -C $(BUILDROOT) -f sysimage.mk sysimg-$*
 
 julia-debug julia-release : julia-% : julia-sysimg-% julia-src-% julia-symlink julia-libccalltest \
diff --git a/sysimage.mk b/sysimage.mk
index 5cf624399dcb2..550373bfba588 100644
--- a/sysimage.mk
+++ b/sysimage.mk
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ include $(JULIAHOME)/stdlib/stdlib.mk
 default: sysimg-$(JULIA_BUILD_MODE) # contains either "debug" or "release"
 all: sysimg-release sysimg-debug
 basecompiler-ji: $(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler.ji
-sysimg-ji: $(build_private_libdir)/sys.ji
+sysimg-ji: $(build_private_libdir)/sysbase.ji
 sysimg-bc: $(build_private_libdir)/sys-bc.a
 sysimg-release: $(build_private_libdir)/sys.$(SHLIB_EXT)
 sysimg-debug: $(build_private_libdir)/sys-debug.$(SHLIB_EXT)
@@ -69,28 +69,45 @@ RELDATADIR := $(call rel_path,$(JULIAHOME)/base,$(build_datarootdir))/ # <-- mak
 
 $(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler.ji: $(COMPILER_SRCS)
 	@$(call PRINT_JULIA, cd $(JULIAHOME)/base && \
-	JULIA_NUM_THREADS=1 $(call spawn,$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE)) -C "$(JULIA_CPU_TARGET)" $(HEAPLIM) --output-ji $(call cygpath_w,$@).tmp \
+	JULIA_NUM_THREADS=1 $(call spawn,$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE)) $(HEAPLIM) --output-ji $(call cygpath_w,$@).tmp \
 		--startup-file=no --warn-overwrite=yes -g$(BOOTSTRAP_DEBUG_LEVEL) -O1 Base_compiler.jl --buildroot $(RELBUILDROOT) --dataroot $(RELDATADIR))
 	@mv $@.tmp $@
 
-$(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler-o.a $(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler-bc.a: $(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler-%.a : $(COMPILER_SRCS)
-	@$(call PRINT_JULIA, cd $(JULIAHOME)/base && \
-	JULIA_NUM_THREADS=1 $(call spawn,$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE)) -C "$(JULIA_CPU_TARGET)" $(HEAPLIM) --output-$* $(call cygpath_w,$@).tmp \
-		--startup-file=no --warn-overwrite=yes -g$(BOOTSTRAP_DEBUG_LEVEL) -O1 Base_compiler.jl --buildroot $(RELBUILDROOT) --dataroot $(RELDATADIR))
-	@mv $@.tmp $@
-
-$(build_private_libdir)/sys.ji: $(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler.$(SHLIB_EXT) $(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));$$WINEPATH" \
-			JULIA_NUM_THREADS=1 $(call spawn, $(JULIA_EXECUTABLE)) -g1 -O1 -C "$(JULIA_CPU_TARGET)" $(HEAPLIM) --output-ji $(call cygpath_w,$@).tmp $(JULIA_SYSIMG_BUILD_FLAGS) \
-			--startup-file=no --warn-overwrite=yes --sysimage $(call cygpath_w,$<) sysimg.jl --buildroot $(RELBUILDROOT) --dataroot $(RELDATADIR); then \
-		echo '*** This error might be fixed by running `make clean`. If the error persists$(COMMA) try `make cleanall`. ***'; \
+define base_builder
+$$(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler$1-o.a $$(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler$1-bc.a : $$(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler$1-%.a : $(COMPILER_SRCS)
+	@$$(call PRINT_JULIA, cd $$(JULIAHOME)/base && \
+	WINEPATH="$$(call cygpath_w,$$(build_bindir));$$$$WINEPATH" \
+	JULIA_NUM_THREADS=1 \
+		$$(call spawn, $3) $2 -C "$$(JULIA_CPU_TARGET)" $$(HEAPLIM) --output-$$* $$(call cygpath_w,$$@).tmp \
+		--startup-file=no --warn-overwrite=yes -g$$(BOOTSTRAP_DEBUG_LEVEL) Base_compiler.jl --buildroot $$(RELBUILDROOT) --dataroot $$(RELDATADIR))
+	@mv $$@.tmp $$@
+$$(build_private_libdir)/sysbase$1.ji: $$(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler$1.$$(SHLIB_EXT) $$(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));$$$$WINEPATH" \
+		 JULIA_NUM_THREADS=1 \
+			$$(call spawn, $$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE)) -g1 $2 -C "$$(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 --buildroot $$(RELBUILDROOT) --dataroot $$(RELDATADIR); then \
+		echo '*** This error might be fixed by running `make clean`. If the error persists$$(COMMA) try `make cleanall`. ***'; \
 		false; \
 	fi )
-	@mv $@.tmp $@
+	@mv $$@.tmp $$@
+.SECONDARY: $$(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler$1-o.a $$(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler$1-bc.a $$(build_private_libdir)/sysbase$1.ji # request Make to keep these files around
+endef
 
 define sysimg_builder
-$$(build_private_libdir)/sys$1-o.a $$(build_private_libdir)/sys$1-bc.a : $$(build_private_libdir)/sys$1-%.a : $$(build_private_libdir)/sys.ji $$(JULIAHOME)/contrib/generate_precompile.jl
+$$(build_private_libdir)/sysbase$1-o.a $$(build_private_libdir)/sysbase$1-bc.a : $$(build_private_libdir)/sysbase$1-%.a : $$(build_private_libdir)/basecompiler$1.$$(SHLIB_EXT) $$(JULIAHOME)/VERSION $$(BASE_SRCS) $$(STDLIB_SRCS)
+	@$$(call PRINT_JULIA, cd $$(JULIAHOME)/base && \
+	if ! JULIA_BINDIR=$$(call cygpath_w,$$(build_bindir)) \
+	     WINEPATH="$$(call cygpath_w,$$(build_bindir));$$$$WINEPATH" \
+		 JULIA_NUM_THREADS=1 \
+			$$(call spawn, $$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE)) -g1 $2 -C "$$(JULIA_CPU_TARGET)" $$(HEAPLIM) --output-$$* $$(call cygpath_w,$$@).tmp $$(JULIA_SYSIMG_BUILD_FLAGS) \
+			--startup-file=no --warn-overwrite=yes --sysimage $$(call cygpath_w,$$<) sysimg.jl --buildroot $$(RELBUILDROOT) --dataroot $$(RELDATADIR); then \
+		echo '*** This error might be fixed by running `make clean`. If the error persists$$(COMMA) try `make cleanall`. ***'; \
+		false; \
+	fi )
+	@mv $$@.tmp $$@
+$$(build_private_libdir)/sys$1-o.a $$(build_private_libdir)/sys$1-bc.a : $$(build_private_libdir)/sys$1-%.a : $$(build_private_libdir)/sysbase$1.$$(SHLIB_EXT) $$(JULIAHOME)/contrib/generate_precompile.jl
 	@$$(call PRINT_JULIA, cd $$(JULIAHOME)/base && \
 	if ! JULIA_BINDIR=$$(call cygpath_w,$(build_bindir)) \
 		 WINEPATH="$$(call cygpath_w,$$(build_bindir));$$$$WINEPATH" \
@@ -105,6 +122,9 @@ $$(build_private_libdir)/sys$1-o.a $$(build_private_libdir)/sys$1-bc.a : $$(buil
 	fi )
 	@mv $$@.tmp $$@
 .SECONDARY: $$(build_private_libdir)/sys$1-o.a $(build_private_libdir)/sys$1-bc.a # request Make to keep these files around
+.SECONDARY: $$(build_private_libdir)/sysbase$1-o.a $(build_private_libdir)/sysbase$1-bc.a # request Make to keep these files around
 endef
+$(eval $(call base_builder,,-O1,$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE_release)))
+$(eval $(call base_builder,-debug,-O0,$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE_debug)))
 $(eval $(call sysimg_builder,,-O3,$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE_release)))
 $(eval $(call sysimg_builder,-debug,-O0,$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE_debug)))