diff --git a/tests/auto/tools/macdeployqt/tst_macdeployqt.cpp b/tests/auto/tools/macdeployqt/tst_macdeployqt.cpp
index b7deb8f2c4..c27091efad 100644
--- a/tests/auto/tools/macdeployqt/tst_macdeployqt.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/tools/macdeployqt/tst_macdeployqt.cpp
@@ -165,6 +165,9 @@ bool deploy(const QString &name, const QStringList &options, QString *errorMessa
     QString bundle = name + ".app";
     QString path = buildPath(name);
     QStringList args = QStringList() << bundle << options;
+#if defined(QT_DEBUG)
+    args << "-use-debug-libs";
+#endif
     if (lcTests().isDebugEnabled())
         args << "-verbose=3";
     return runProcess(g_macdeployqtBinary, args, errorMessage, path);