diff --git a/runtime/BUILD.gn b/runtime/BUILD.gn
index 24853583d07..fd3d3e3c15e 100644
--- a/runtime/BUILD.gn
+++ b/runtime/BUILD.gn
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ config("dart_config") {
       }
     } else {
       cflags = [
-        "/O2",
+        "/O${dart_default_optimization_level}",
         "/Ob2",
         "/Oy-",
         "/Oi",
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ config("dart_config") {
     } else if (dart_debug) {
       cflags += [ "-O${dart_debug_optimization_level}" ]
     } else {
-      cflags += [ "-O2" ]
+      cflags += [ "-O${dart_default_optimization_level}" ]
     }
 
     if (is_fuchsia) {
diff --git a/runtime/runtime_args.gni b/runtime/runtime_args.gni
index 295bc5cddcf..aedfdccdf3f 100644
--- a/runtime/runtime_args.gni
+++ b/runtime/runtime_args.gni
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ declare_args() {
   # code coverage enabled.
   dart_debug_optimization_level = "2"
 
+  # The optimization level to use for non-debug builds.
+  dart_default_optimization_level = "2"
+
   # Whether to enable code coverage for the standalone VM.
   dart_vm_code_coverage = false