diff --git a/cmake/init_scripts.cmake b/cmake/init_scripts.cmake
index 83f8dd138..1ab095eba 100644
--- a/cmake/init_scripts.cmake
+++ b/cmake/init_scripts.cmake
@@ -25,6 +25,15 @@ else()
 endif()
 
 configure_file(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/etc/maxscale.conf.in ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/maxscale.conf @ONLY)
+
+# The systemd service file
+if (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE MATCHES "(D|d)(E|e)(B|b)(U|u)(G|g)")
+  # Options enabled only in debug builds (a literal multi-line string)
+  set(SERVICE_FILE_DEBUG_OPTIONS
+    "LimitCORE=infinity
+ExecStartPost=/bin/sh -c 'prlimit -p $(pidof maxscale) --core=unlimited'")
+endif()
+
 configure_file(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/etc/maxscale.service.in ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/maxscale.service @ONLY)
 
 if(PACKAGE)
diff --git a/etc/maxscale.service.in b/etc/maxscale.service.in
index 068bb342e..7c087e6f2 100644
--- a/etc/maxscale.service.in
+++ b/etc/maxscale.service.in
@@ -5,12 +5,11 @@ After=network.target
 [Service]
 Type=forking
 Restart=on-abort
-LimitCORE=infinity
+@SERVICE_FILE_DEBUG_OPTIONS@
 
 # Make sure /var/run/maxscale exists
 PermissionsStartOnly=true
 ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/install -d @MAXSCALE_VARDIR@/run/maxscale -o maxscale -g maxscale
-ExecStartPost=/bin/sh -c 'prlimit -p $(pidof maxscale) --core=unlimited'
 
 PIDFile=@MAXSCALE_VARDIR@/run/maxscale/maxscale.pid