diff --git a/lib/clif-backend/src/lib.rs b/lib/clif-backend/src/lib.rs
index 88de51e12..d09da6812 100644
--- a/lib/clif-backend/src/lib.rs
+++ b/lib/clif-backend/src/lib.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use target_lexicon::Triple;
 
 use wasmer_runtime_core::cache::{Artifact, Error as CacheError};
 use wasmer_runtime_core::{
-    backend::{Compiler, Token},
+    backend::{Compiler, CompilerConfig, Token},
     error::{CompileError, CompileResult},
     module::ModuleInner,
 };
@@ -39,12 +39,17 @@ impl CraneliftCompiler {
 
 impl Compiler for CraneliftCompiler {
     /// Compiles wasm binary to a wasmer module.
-    fn compile(&self, wasm: &[u8], _: Token) -> CompileResult<ModuleInner> {
+    fn compile(
+        &self,
+        wasm: &[u8],
+        compiler_config: CompilerConfig,
+        _: Token,
+    ) -> CompileResult<ModuleInner> {
         validate(wasm)?;
 
         let isa = get_isa();
 
-        let mut module = module::Module::new();
+        let mut module = module::Module::new(&compiler_config);
         let module_env = module_env::ModuleEnv::new(&mut module, &*isa);
 
         let func_bodies = module_env.translate(wasm)?;
diff --git a/lib/clif-backend/src/module.rs b/lib/clif-backend/src/module.rs
index 9e934ee0a..2ae495acd 100644
--- a/lib/clif-backend/src/module.rs
+++ b/lib/clif-backend/src/module.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use std::sync::Arc;
 use wasmer_runtime_core::cache::{Artifact, Error as CacheError};
 
 use wasmer_runtime_core::{
-    backend::Backend,
+    backend::{Backend, CompilerConfig},
     error::CompileResult,
     module::{ModuleInfo, ModuleInner, StringTable},
     structures::{Map, TypedIndex},
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ pub struct Module {
 }
 
 impl Module {
-    pub fn new() -> Self {
+    pub fn new(compiler_config: &CompilerConfig) -> Self {
         Self {
             info: ModuleInfo {
                 memories: Map::new(),
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ impl Module {
 
                 namespace_table: StringTable::new(),
                 name_table: StringTable::new(),
+                em_symbol_map: compiler_config.symbol_map.clone(),
             },
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/clif-backend/src/resolver.rs b/lib/clif-backend/src/resolver.rs
index 5a3763827..e2706b6e1 100644
--- a/lib/clif-backend/src/resolver.rs
+++ b/lib/clif-backend/src/resolver.rs
@@ -374,26 +374,26 @@ fn round_up(n: usize, multiple: usize) -> usize {
 }
 
 extern "C" fn i32_print(_ctx: &mut vm::Ctx, n: i32) {
-    print!(" i32: {},", n);
+    eprint!(" i32: {},", n);
 }
 extern "C" fn i64_print(_ctx: &mut vm::Ctx, n: i64) {
-    print!(" i64: {},", n);
+    eprint!(" i64: {},", n);
 }
 extern "C" fn f32_print(_ctx: &mut vm::Ctx, n: f32) {
-    print!(" f32: {},", n);
+    eprint!(" f32: {},", n);
 }
 extern "C" fn f64_print(_ctx: &mut vm::Ctx, n: f64) {
-    print!(" f64: {},", n);
+    eprint!(" f64: {},", n);
 }
 extern "C" fn start_debug(ctx: &mut vm::Ctx, func_index: u32) {
-    if let Some(symbol_map) = &ctx.maybe_symbol_map {
+    if let Some(symbol_map) = unsafe { ctx.borrow_symbol_map() } {
         if let Some(fn_name) = symbol_map.get(&func_index) {
-            print!("func ({} ({})), args: [", fn_name, func_index);
+            eprint!("func ({} ({})), args: [", fn_name, func_index);
             return;
         }
     }
-    print!("func ({}), args: [", func_index);
+    eprint!("func ({}), args: [", func_index);
 }
 extern "C" fn end_debug(_ctx: &mut vm::Ctx) {
-    println!(" ]");
+    eprintln!(" ]");
 }
diff --git a/lib/runtime-core/src/backend.rs b/lib/runtime-core/src/backend.rs
index a09909ebe..94c5c87e3 100644
--- a/lib/runtime-core/src/backend.rs
+++ b/lib/runtime-core/src/backend.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ use crate::{
 };
 use std::{any::Any, ptr::NonNull};
 
+use hashbrown::HashMap;
+
 pub mod sys {
     pub use crate::sys::*;
 }
@@ -38,11 +40,28 @@ impl Token {
     }
 }
 
+/// Configuration data for the compiler
+pub struct CompilerConfig {
+    /// Symbol information generated from emscripten; used for more detailed debug messages
+    pub symbol_map: Option<HashMap<u32, String>>,
+}
+
+impl Default for CompilerConfig {
+    fn default() -> CompilerConfig {
+        CompilerConfig { symbol_map: None }
+    }
+}
+
 pub trait Compiler {
     /// Compiles a `Module` from WebAssembly binary format.
     /// The `CompileToken` parameter ensures that this can only
     /// be called from inside the runtime.
-    fn compile(&self, wasm: &[u8], _: Token) -> CompileResult<ModuleInner>;
+    fn compile(
+        &self,
+        wasm: &[u8],
+        comp_conf: CompilerConfig,
+        _: Token,
+    ) -> CompileResult<ModuleInner>;
 
     unsafe fn from_cache(&self, cache: Artifact, _: Token) -> Result<ModuleInner, CacheError>;
 }
diff --git a/lib/runtime-core/src/instance.rs b/lib/runtime-core/src/instance.rs
index f2b48f983..0d34bb5a5 100644
--- a/lib/runtime-core/src/instance.rs
+++ b/lib/runtime-core/src/instance.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ use crate::{
     types::{FuncIndex, FuncSig, GlobalIndex, LocalOrImport, MemoryIndex, TableIndex, Value},
     vm,
 };
-use hashbrown::HashMap;
 use std::{mem, sync::Arc};
 
 pub(crate) struct InstanceInner {
@@ -45,11 +44,7 @@ pub struct Instance {
 }
 
 impl Instance {
-    pub(crate) fn new(
-        module: Arc<ModuleInner>,
-        imports: &ImportObject,
-        maybe_symbol_map: Option<HashMap<u32, String>>,
-    ) -> Result<Instance> {
+    pub(crate) fn new(module: Arc<ModuleInner>, imports: &ImportObject) -> Result<Instance> {
         // We need the backing and import_backing to create a vm::Ctx, but we need
         // a vm::Ctx to create a backing and an import_backing. The solution is to create an
         // uninitialized vm::Ctx and then initialize it in-place.
@@ -68,12 +63,7 @@ impl Instance {
         // Initialize the vm::Ctx in-place after the backing
         // has been boxed.
         unsafe {
-            *inner.vmctx = vm::Ctx::new(
-                &mut inner.backing,
-                &mut inner.import_backing,
-                &module,
-                maybe_symbol_map,
-            )
+            *inner.vmctx = vm::Ctx::new(&mut inner.backing, &mut inner.import_backing, &module)
         };
 
         let instance = Instance {
diff --git a/lib/runtime-core/src/lib.rs b/lib/runtime-core/src/lib.rs
index 663e17534..1565ed621 100644
--- a/lib/runtime-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/lib/runtime-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -68,7 +68,19 @@ pub fn compile_with(
 ) -> CompileResult<module::Module> {
     let token = backend::Token::generate();
     compiler
-        .compile(wasm, token)
+        .compile(wasm, Default::default(), token)
+        .map(|inner| module::Module::new(Arc::new(inner)))
+}
+
+/// The same as `compile_with` but takes a symbol map for use with debugging
+pub fn compile_with_config(
+    wasm: &[u8],
+    compiler: &dyn backend::Compiler,
+    compiler_config: backend::CompilerConfig,
+) -> CompileResult<module::Module> {
+    let token = backend::Token::generate();
+    compiler
+        .compile(wasm, compiler_config, token)
         .map(|inner| module::Module::new(Arc::new(inner)))
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/runtime-core/src/module.rs b/lib/runtime-core/src/module.rs
index a7fe31412..361ffde7d 100644
--- a/lib/runtime-core/src/module.rs
+++ b/lib/runtime-core/src/module.rs
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ pub struct ModuleInfo {
 
     pub namespace_table: StringTable<NamespaceIndex>,
     pub name_table: StringTable<NameIndex>,
+
+    pub em_symbol_map: Option<HashMap<u32, String>>,
 }
 
 /// A compiled WebAssembly module.
@@ -100,12 +102,8 @@ impl Module {
     /// # Ok(())
     /// # }
     /// ```
-    pub fn instantiate(
-        &self,
-        import_object: &ImportObject,
-        maybe_symbol_map: Option<HashMap<u32, String>>,
-    ) -> error::Result<Instance> {
-        Instance::new(Arc::clone(&self.inner), import_object, maybe_symbol_map)
+    pub fn instantiate(&self, import_object: &ImportObject) -> error::Result<Instance> {
+        Instance::new(Arc::clone(&self.inner), import_object)
     }
 
     pub fn cache(&self) -> Result<Artifact, CacheError> {
diff --git a/lib/runtime-core/src/vm.rs b/lib/runtime-core/src/vm.rs
index d78bd09fc..394966d79 100644
--- a/lib/runtime-core/src/vm.rs
+++ b/lib/runtime-core/src/vm.rs
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@ use crate::{
     structures::TypedIndex,
     types::{LocalOrImport, MemoryIndex},
 };
-use hashbrown::HashMap;
 use std::{ffi::c_void, mem, ptr};
 
+use hashbrown::HashMap;
+
 /// The context of the currently running WebAssembly instance.
 ///
 ///
@@ -25,8 +26,6 @@ pub struct Ctx {
 
     pub data: *mut c_void,
     pub data_finalizer: Option<extern "C" fn(data: *mut c_void)>,
-
-    pub maybe_symbol_map: Option<HashMap<u32, String>>,
 }
 
 /// The internal context of the currently running WebAssembly instance.
@@ -70,7 +69,6 @@ impl Ctx {
         local_backing: &mut LocalBacking,
         import_backing: &mut ImportBacking,
         module: &ModuleInner,
-        maybe_symbol_map: Option<HashMap<u32, String>>,
     ) -> Self {
         Self {
             internal: InternalCtx {
@@ -93,7 +91,6 @@ impl Ctx {
 
             data: ptr::null_mut(),
             data_finalizer: None,
-            maybe_symbol_map,
         }
     }
 
@@ -126,7 +123,6 @@ impl Ctx {
 
             data,
             data_finalizer: Some(data_finalizer),
-            maybe_symbol_map: None,
         }
     }
 
@@ -162,6 +158,10 @@ impl Ctx {
             },
         }
     }
+
+    pub unsafe fn borrow_symbol_map(&self) -> &Option<HashMap<u32, String>> {
+        &(*self.module).info.em_symbol_map
+    }
 }
 
 #[doc(hidden)]
diff --git a/lib/runtime/src/lib.rs b/lib/runtime/src/lib.rs
index bcd8cf710..b589aa28b 100644
--- a/lib/runtime/src/lib.rs
+++ b/lib/runtime/src/lib.rs
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ pub mod units {
 
 pub mod cache;
 
-use wasmer_runtime_core::backend::Compiler;
+use wasmer_runtime_core::backend::{Compiler, CompilerConfig};
 
 /// Compile WebAssembly binary code into a [`Module`].
 /// This function is useful if it is necessary to
@@ -129,6 +129,13 @@ pub fn compile(wasm: &[u8]) -> error::CompileResult<Module> {
     wasmer_runtime_core::compile_with(&wasm[..], default_compiler())
 }
 
+pub fn compile_with_config(
+    wasm: &[u8],
+    compiler_config: CompilerConfig,
+) -> error::CompileResult<Module> {
+    wasmer_runtime_core::compile_with_config(&wasm[..], default_compiler(), compiler_config)
+}
+
 /// Compile and instantiate WebAssembly code without
 /// creating a [`Module`].
 ///
@@ -149,7 +156,7 @@ pub fn compile(wasm: &[u8]) -> error::CompileResult<Module> {
 /// depending on the cause of the failure.
 pub fn instantiate(wasm: &[u8], import_object: &ImportObject) -> error::Result<Instance> {
     let module = compile(wasm)?;
-    module.instantiate(import_object, None)
+    module.instantiate(import_object)
 }
 
 /// Get a single instance of the default compiler to use.
diff --git a/src/bin/wasmer.rs b/src/bin/wasmer.rs
index 14989effb..61bd50dac 100644
--- a/src/bin/wasmer.rs
+++ b/src/bin/wasmer.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ use wasmer::webassembly::InstanceABI;
 use wasmer::*;
 use wasmer_emscripten;
 use wasmer_runtime::cache::{Cache as BaseCache, FileSystemCache, WasmHash, WASMER_VERSION_HASH};
+use wasmer_runtime_core::backend::CompilerConfig;
 
 #[derive(Debug, StructOpt)]
 #[structopt(name = "wasmer", about = "Wasm execution runtime.")]
@@ -46,9 +47,9 @@ struct Run {
     #[structopt(name = "--", raw(multiple = "true"))]
     args: Vec<String>,
 
-    /// Symbol map
-    #[structopt(long = "symbol-map", parse(from_os_str))]
-    symbol_map: Option<PathBuf>,
+    /// Emscripten symbol map
+    #[structopt(long = "em-symbol-map", parse(from_os_str))]
+    em_symbol_map: Option<PathBuf>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, StructOpt)]
@@ -103,18 +104,18 @@ fn execute_wasm(options: &Run) -> Result<(), String> {
         )
     })?;
 
-    let maybe_symbol_map = if let Some(symbol_map_path) = options.symbol_map.clone() {
-        let symbol_map_content: String = read_to_string(&symbol_map_path)
+    let em_symbol_map = if let Some(em_symbol_map_path) = options.em_symbol_map.clone() {
+        let em_symbol_map_content: String = read_to_string(&em_symbol_map_path)
             .map_err(|err| {
                 format!(
                     "Can't read symbol map file {}: {}",
-                    symbol_map_path.as_os_str().to_string_lossy(),
+                    em_symbol_map_path.as_os_str().to_string_lossy(),
                     err,
                 )
             })?
             .to_owned();
-        let mut symbol_map = HashMap::new();
-        for line in symbol_map_content.lines() {
+        let mut em_symbol_map = HashMap::new();
+        for line in em_symbol_map_content.lines() {
             let mut split = line.split(':');
             let num_str = if let Some(ns) = split.next() {
                 ns
@@ -138,9 +139,9 @@ fn execute_wasm(options: &Run) -> Result<(), String> {
             }
             .to_owned();
 
-            symbol_map.insert(num, name_str);
+            em_symbol_map.insert(num, name_str);
         }
-        Some(symbol_map)
+        Some(em_symbol_map)
     } else {
         None
     };
@@ -175,9 +176,13 @@ fn execute_wasm(options: &Run) -> Result<(), String> {
                 module
             }
             Err(_) => {
-                let module = webassembly::compile(&wasm_binary[..])
-                    .map_err(|e| format!("Can't compile module: {:?}", e))?;
-
+                let module = webassembly::compile_with_config(
+                    &wasm_binary[..],
+                    CompilerConfig {
+                        symbol_map: em_symbol_map,
+                    },
+                )
+                .map_err(|e| format!("Can't compile module: {:?}", e))?;
                 // We try to save the module into a cache file
                 cache.store(hash, module.clone()).unwrap_or_default();
 
@@ -186,8 +191,13 @@ fn execute_wasm(options: &Run) -> Result<(), String> {
         };
         module
     } else {
-        webassembly::compile(&wasm_binary[..])
-            .map_err(|e| format!("Can't compile module: {:?}", e))?
+        webassembly::compile_with_config(
+            &wasm_binary[..],
+            CompilerConfig {
+                symbol_map: em_symbol_map,
+            },
+        )
+        .map_err(|e| format!("Can't compile module: {:?}", e))?
     };
 
     let (_abi, import_object, _em_globals) = if wasmer_emscripten::is_emscripten_module(&module) {
@@ -206,7 +216,7 @@ fn execute_wasm(options: &Run) -> Result<(), String> {
     };
 
     let mut instance = module
-        .instantiate(&import_object, maybe_symbol_map)
+        .instantiate(&import_object)
         .map_err(|e| format!("Can't instantiate module: {:?}", e))?;
 
     webassembly::run_instance(
diff --git a/src/webassembly.rs b/src/webassembly.rs
index 542a5be9d..3b7aeaf8f 100644
--- a/src/webassembly.rs
+++ b/src/webassembly.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use wasmer_runtime::{
     error::{CallResult, Result},
     ImportObject, Instance, Module,
 };
+use wasmer_runtime_core::backend::CompilerConfig;
 use wasmer_runtime_core::types::Value;
 
 use wasmer_emscripten::{is_emscripten_module, run_emscripten_instance};
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ pub fn instantiate(buffer_source: &[u8], import_object: ImportObject) -> Result<
     let module = compile(&buffer_source[..])?;
 
     debug!("webassembly - instantiating");
-    let instance = module.instantiate(&import_object, None)?;
+    let instance = module.instantiate(&import_object)?;
 
     debug!("webassembly - instance created");
     Ok(ResultObject {
@@ -76,6 +77,14 @@ pub fn compile(buffer_source: &[u8]) -> Result<Module> {
     Ok(module)
 }
 
+pub fn compile_with_config(
+    buffer_source: &[u8],
+    compiler_config: CompilerConfig,
+) -> Result<Module> {
+    let module = runtime::compile_with_config(buffer_source, compiler_config)?;
+    Ok(module)
+}
+
 /// Performs common instance operations needed when an instance is first run
 /// including data setup, handling arguments and calling a main function
 pub fn run_instance(