diff --git a/qmake/generators/win32/msvc_objectmodel.cpp b/qmake/generators/win32/msvc_objectmodel.cpp
index 58786868288..b5639c01084 100644
--- a/qmake/generators/win32/msvc_objectmodel.cpp
+++ b/qmake/generators/win32/msvc_objectmodel.cpp
@@ -1478,7 +1478,8 @@ bool VCLinkerTool::parseOption(const char* option)
             EnableUAC = _True;
         break;
     case 0x3389797: // /DEBUG[:{FASTLINK|FULL|NONE}]
-        if (config->CompilerVersion >= NET2015) {
+        DebugInfoOption = linkerDebugOptionEnabled;
+        if (config->CompilerVersion >= NET2015 && *(option + 6) == ':') {
             const char *str = option + 7;
             if (qstricmp(str, "fastlink") == 0)
                 DebugInfoOption = linkerDebugOptionFastLink;
diff --git a/qmake/generators/win32/msvc_objectmodel.h b/qmake/generators/win32/msvc_objectmodel.h
index f0869d510f8..190d6c727fa 100644
--- a/qmake/generators/win32/msvc_objectmodel.h
+++ b/qmake/generators/win32/msvc_objectmodel.h
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ enum inlineExpansionOption {
 };
 enum linkerDebugOption {
     linkerDebugOptionNone,
+    linkerDebugOptionEnabled,     // represents /DEBUG without further options
     linkerDebugOptionFastLink,
     linkerDebugOptionFull
 };