diff --git a/winconf-msvc.pri b/winconf-msvc.pri
index 742680228..f27a1f791 100644
--- a/winconf-msvc.pri
+++ b/winconf-msvc.pri
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ strace_win {
 }
 
 CONFIG -= embed_manifest_exe
-QMAKE_LFLAGS += "/OPT:REF /OPT:ICF /MANIFEST:EMBED /MANIFESTINPUT:$$quote($${PWD}/src/qbittorrent.exe.manifest) /STACK:0x800000"
+QMAKE_LFLAGS += "/MANIFEST:EMBED /MANIFESTINPUT:$$quote($${PWD}/src/qbittorrent.exe.manifest) /STACK:0x800000"
+QMAKE_LFLAGS_RELEASE += "/OPT:REF /OPT:ICF"
 
 RC_FILE = qbittorrent.rc