diff --git a/releng.wtpbuilder/scripts/build/buildutilities.xml b/releng.wtpbuilder/scripts/build/buildutilities.xml
index 4e20fb3e1a66435e8ad1622eea9cd9332faadcee..95990c5a780ba004305cab93e639242667fa3d65 100644
--- a/releng.wtpbuilder/scripts/build/buildutilities.xml
+++ b/releng.wtpbuilder/scripts/build/buildutilities.xml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
          default="nodefault"
          basedir=".">
 
-    <property name="debug" value="false" />
+    <property name="debugOptimization" value="false" />
 
 
     <!-- ================================================================================== -->
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
         <!-- named normalized                                                                     -->
         <!--                                                                                    -->
         <!-- ================================================================================== -->
+        <echo message="normalize jars" />
         <java jar="${pde.builder.path}/startup.jar"
               fork="true"
               jvm="${java15-home}/bin/java"
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@
         <!-- end up in {tmpsite}/eclipse                                                        -->
         <!--                                                                                    -->
         <!-- ================================================================================== -->
+    	  <echo message="unzip normalized update jars to a holding place" />
         <unzip dest="${tmpsite}"
                src="${tmpsite}/normalized/${archiveName}" />
 
@@ -170,18 +172,22 @@
         <condition property="verboseIfDebug"
                    value="-verbose"
                    else="">
-            <istrue value="${debug}" />
+            <istrue value="${debugOptimization}" />
         </condition>
 
         <condition property="logIfDebug"
                    value="-debug -consolelog"
                    else="">
-            <istrue value="${debug}" />
+            <istrue value="${debugOptimization}" />
+        </condition>
+        <condition property="keepIfDebug"
+                   value="true">
+            <istrue value="${debugOptimization}" />
         </condition>
     </target>
 
 
-    <target name="deleteTmpSite" unless="debug">
+    <target name="deleteTmpSite" unless="keepIfDebug">
         <delete dir="${tmpsite}" />
     </target>
 
@@ -199,7 +205,7 @@
         </java>
     </target>
 
-    <target name="makeBackupCopyForDebugging" if="debug">
+    <target name="makeBackupCopyForDebugging" if="keepIfDebug">
         <!-- temporary copy while confirming build to be able to do side-by-side comparisons -->
         <mkdir dir="${buildDirectory}/backuporiginalzips" />
         <copy file="${buildDirectory}/${buildLabel}/${archiveName}"