diff --git a/make/Bundles.gmk b/make/Bundles.gmk
index 8161b3b036254..0b324e7e3f3fc 100644
--- a/make/Bundles.gmk
+++ b/make/Bundles.gmk
@@ -185,77 +185,30 @@ endif
 
 ifneq ($(filter product-bundles% legacy-bundles, $(MAKECMDGOALS)), )
 
-  SYMBOLS_EXCLUDE_PATTERN := %.debuginfo %.diz %.map
-
-  # There may be files with spaces in the names, so use ShellFindFiles
-  # explicitly.
+  # There may be files with spaces in the names, so use ShellFindFiles explicitly.
   ALL_JDK_FILES := $(call ShellFindFiles, $(JDK_IMAGE_DIR))
-  ifneq ($(JDK_IMAGE_DIR), $(JDK_SYMBOLS_IMAGE_DIR))
-    ALL_JDK_SYMBOLS_FILES := $(call ShellFindFiles, $(JDK_SYMBOLS_IMAGE_DIR))
-  else
-    ALL_JDK_SYMBOLS_FILES := $(ALL_JDK_FILES)
-  endif
   ifneq ($(JDK_IMAGE_DIR), $(JDK_DEMOS_IMAGE_DIR))
     ALL_JDK_DEMOS_FILES := $(call ShellFindFiles, $(JDK_DEMOS_IMAGE_DIR))
   else
     ALL_JDK_DEMOS_FILES := $(ALL_JDK_FILES)
   endif
 
-  # Create special filter rules when dealing with unzipped .dSYM directories on
-  # macosx
-  ifeq ($(call isTargetOs, macosx), true)
-    ifeq ($(ZIP_EXTERNAL_DEBUG_SYMBOLS), false)
-      JDK_SYMBOLS_EXCLUDE_PATTERN := $(addprefix %, \
-          $(call containing, .dSYM/, $(patsubst $(JDK_IMAGE_DIR)/%, %, \
-          $(ALL_JDK_SYMBOLS_FILES))))
-    endif
-  endif
-
-  # Create special filter rules when dealing with debug symbols on windows
-  ifeq ($(call isTargetOs, windows), true)
-    ifeq ($(SHIP_DEBUG_SYMBOLS), )
-      JDK_SYMBOLS_EXCLUDE_PATTERN := %.pdb
-    endif
-  endif
-
   JDK_BUNDLE_FILES := \
       $(filter-out \
-          $(JDK_SYMBOLS_EXCLUDE_PATTERN) \
           $(JDK_EXTRA_EXCLUDES) \
-          $(SYMBOLS_EXCLUDE_PATTERN) \
           $(JDK_IMAGE_HOMEDIR)/demo/% \
           , \
           $(ALL_JDK_FILES) \
       )
 
-  JDK_SYMBOLS_BUNDLE_FILES := \
-      $(call FindFiles, $(SYMBOLS_IMAGE_DIR))
+  JDK_SYMBOLS_BUNDLE_FILES := $(call FindFiles, $(SYMBOLS_IMAGE_DIR))
 
   TEST_DEMOS_BUNDLE_FILES := $(filter $(JDK_DEMOS_IMAGE_HOMEDIR)/demo/%, \
       $(ALL_JDK_DEMOS_FILES))
 
   ALL_JRE_FILES := $(call ShellFindFiles, $(JRE_IMAGE_DIR))
 
-  # Create special filter rules when dealing with unzipped .dSYM directories on
-  # macosx
-  ifeq ($(OPENJDK_TARGET_OS), macosx)
-    ifeq ($(ZIP_EXTERNAL_DEBUG_SYMBOLS), false)
-      JRE_SYMBOLS_EXCLUDE_PATTERN := $(addprefix %, \
-          $(call containing, .dSYM/, $(patsubst $(JRE_IMAGE_DIR)/%, %, $(ALL_JRE_FILES))))
-    endif
-  endif
-
-  # Create special filter rules when dealing with debug symbols on windows
-  ifeq ($(call isTargetOs, windows), true)
-    ifeq ($(SHIP_DEBUG_SYMBOLS), )
-      JRE_SYMBOLS_EXCLUDE_PATTERN := %.pdb
-    endif
-  endif
-
-  JRE_BUNDLE_FILES := $(filter-out \
-      $(JRE_SYMBOLS_EXCLUDE_PATTERN) \
-      $(SYMBOLS_EXCLUDE_PATTERN), \
-      $(ALL_JRE_FILES))
+  JRE_BUNDLE_FILES := $(ALL_JRE_FILES)
 
   ifeq ($(MACOSX_CODESIGN_MODE), hardened)
     # Macosx release build and code signing available.
diff --git a/make/CreateJmods.gmk b/make/CreateJmods.gmk
index 3280b24924a34..32f107b6bb6a0 100644
--- a/make/CreateJmods.gmk
+++ b/make/CreateJmods.gmk
@@ -218,10 +218,14 @@ ifeq ($(call isTargetOs, windows), true)
   ifeq ($(SHIP_DEBUG_SYMBOLS), )
     JMOD_FLAGS += --exclude '**{_the.*,_*.marker*,*.diz,*.pdb,*.map}'
   else
-    JMOD_FLAGS += --exclude '**{_the.*,_*.marker*,*.diz,*.map}'
+    JMOD_FLAGS += --exclude '**{_the.*,_*.marker*,*.map}'
   endif
 else
-  JMOD_FLAGS += --exclude '**{_the.*,_*.marker*,*.diz,*.debuginfo,*.dSYM/**,*.dSYM}'
+  ifeq ($(SHIP_DEBUG_SYMBOLS), )
+    JMOD_FLAGS += --exclude '**{_the.*,_*.marker*,*.diz,*.debuginfo,*.dSYM/**,*.dSYM}'
+  else
+    JMOD_FLAGS += --exclude '**{_the.*,_*.marker*}'
+  endif
 endif
 
 # Unless we are creating a very large module, use the small tool JVM options
diff --git a/make/autoconf/jdk-options.m4 b/make/autoconf/jdk-options.m4
index bb18877800192..87d147d4f074b 100644
--- a/make/autoconf/jdk-options.m4
+++ b/make/autoconf/jdk-options.m4
@@ -316,23 +316,36 @@ AC_DEFUN_ONCE([JDKOPT_SETUP_DEBUG_SYMBOLS],
   AC_MSG_CHECKING([if we should add external native debug symbols to the shipped bundles])
   AC_ARG_WITH([external-symbols-in-bundles],
       [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-external-symbols-in-bundles],
-      [which type of external native debug symbol information shall be shipped in product bundles (none, public, full)
-      (e.g. ship full/stripped pdbs on Windows) @<:@none@:>@])])
+      [which type of external native debug symbol information shall be shipped with bundles/images (none, public, full).
+      @<:@none in release builds, full otherwise. --with-native-debug-symbols=external/zipped is a prerequisite. public is only supported on Windows@:>@])],
+      [],
+      [with_external_symbols_in_bundles=default])
 
   if test "x$with_external_symbols_in_bundles" = x || test "x$with_external_symbols_in_bundles" = xnone ; then
     AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
   elif test "x$with_external_symbols_in_bundles" = xfull || test "x$with_external_symbols_in_bundles" = xpublic ; then
-    if test "x$OPENJDK_TARGET_OS" != xwindows ; then
-      AC_MSG_ERROR([--with-external-symbols-in-bundles currently only works on windows!])
-    elif test "x$COPY_DEBUG_SYMBOLS" != xtrue ; then
-      AC_MSG_ERROR([--with-external-symbols-in-bundles only works when --with-native-debug-symbols=external is used!])
-    elif test "x$with_external_symbols_in_bundles" = xfull ; then
+    if test "x$COPY_DEBUG_SYMBOLS" != xtrue ; then
+      AC_MSG_ERROR([--with-external-symbols-in-bundles only works when --with-native-debug-symbols=external/zipped is used!])
+    elif test "x$with_external_symbols_in_bundles" = xpublic && test "x$OPENJDK_TARGET_OS" != xwindows ; then
+      AC_MSG_ERROR([--with-external-symbols-in-bundles=public is only supported on Windows!])
+    fi
+
+    if test "x$with_external_symbols_in_bundles" = xfull ; then
       AC_MSG_RESULT([full])
       SHIP_DEBUG_SYMBOLS=full
     else
       AC_MSG_RESULT([public])
       SHIP_DEBUG_SYMBOLS=public
     fi
+  elif test "x$with_external_symbols_in_bundles" = xdefault ; then
+    if test "x$DEBUG_LEVEL" = xrelease ; then
+      AC_MSG_RESULT([no (default)])
+    elif test "x$COPY_DEBUG_SYMBOLS" = xtrue ; then
+      AC_MSG_RESULT([full (default)])
+      SHIP_DEBUG_SYMBOLS=full
+    else
+      AC_MSG_RESULT([no (default, native debug symbols are not external/zipped)])
+    fi
   else
     AC_MSG_ERROR([$with_external_symbols_in_bundles is an unknown value for --with-external-symbols-in-bundles])
   fi