diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 57d7e592..0448b3e6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ jobs:
     tests:
         name: Test
         runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+        env:
+          CARGO_PROFILE: "test"
         steps:
             - name: Free Disk Space (Ubuntu)
               uses: jlumbroso/free-disk-space@main
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 559965ab..02c83600 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -657,7 +657,16 @@ opt-level = 'z'
 #	'-Clink-arg=-Wl,-z,nodelete',
 #]
 
+# primarily used for CI
 [profile.test]
+inherits = "dev"
+codegen-units = 16
+incremental = false
+
+[profile.test.package.'*']
+inherits = "dev"
+debug = 0
+codegen-units = 16
 incremental = false
 
 ###############################################################################
diff --git a/engage.toml b/engage.toml
index 7413a8e3..e2428aea 100644
--- a/engage.toml
+++ b/engage.toml
@@ -73,7 +73,9 @@ script = "cargo audit -D warnings -D unmaintained -D unsound -D yanked"
 [[task]]
 name = "cargo-fmt"
 group = "lints"
-script = "cargo fmt --check -- --color=always"
+script = """
+cargo fmt --check -- --color=always
+"""
 
 [[task]]
 name = "cargo-doc"
@@ -84,6 +86,7 @@ env DIRENV_DEVSHELL=all-features \
     direnv exec . \
     cargo doc \
         --workspace \
+        --profile test \
         --all-features \
         --no-deps \
         --document-private-items \
@@ -96,6 +99,7 @@ group = "lints"
 script = """
 cargo clippy \
     --workspace \
+    --profile test \
     --all-targets \
     --color=always \
     -- \
@@ -110,6 +114,7 @@ env DIRENV_DEVSHELL=all-features \
     direnv exec . \
     cargo clippy \
         --workspace \
+        --profile test \
         --all-targets \
         --all-features \
         --color=always \
@@ -123,6 +128,7 @@ group = "lints"
 script = """
 cargo clippy \
     --workspace \
+    --profile test \
     --features jemalloc \
     --all-targets \
     --color=always \
@@ -161,6 +167,7 @@ env DIRENV_DEVSHELL=all-features \
     direnv exec . \
     cargo test \
         --workspace \
+        --profile test \
         --all-targets \
         --all-features \
         --color=always \
@@ -174,6 +181,7 @@ group = "tests"
 script = """
 cargo test \
     --workspace \
+    --profile test \
     --all-targets \
     --color=always \
     -- \
@@ -190,9 +198,11 @@ name = "nix-default"
 group = "tests"
 script = """
 env DIRENV_DEVSHELL=dynamic \
+    CARGO_PROFILE="test" \
     direnv exec . \
-    bin/nix-build-and-cache just .#default
+    bin/nix-build-and-cache just .#default-test
 env DIRENV_DEVSHELL=dynamic \
+    CARGO_PROFILE="test" \
     direnv exec . \
-    nix run -L .#default -- --help
+    nix run -L .#default-test -- --help && nix run -L .#default-test -- --version
 """
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index e480fd82..9d9b103c 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -154,6 +154,10 @@
             # debug build users expect full logs
             disable_release_max_log_level = true;
         };
+        default-test = scopeHost.main.override {
+            profile = "test";
+            disable_release_max_log_level = true;
+        };
         all-features = scopeHost.main.override {
             all_features = true;
             disable_features = [
@@ -247,6 +251,16 @@
                   };
                 }
 
+                # An output for a statically-linked unstripped debug binary with the
+                # "test" profile (for CI usage only)
+                {
+                  name = "${binaryName}-test";
+                  value = scopeCrossStatic.main.override {
+                    profile = "test";
+                    disable_release_max_log_level = true;
+                  };
+                }
+
                 # An output for a statically-linked binary with `--all-features`
                 {
                   name = "${binaryName}-all-features";
diff --git a/nix/pkgs/complement/default.nix b/nix/pkgs/complement/default.nix
index 0100dbb6..5ebe9eb3 100644
--- a/nix/pkgs/complement/default.nix
+++ b/nix/pkgs/complement/default.nix
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 let
   main' = main.override {
-    profile = "dev";
+    profile = "test";
     all_features = true;
     disable_release_max_log_level = true;
     disable_features = [
diff --git a/nix/pkgs/main/default.nix b/nix/pkgs/main/default.nix
index 5f21176e..72d67465 100644
--- a/nix/pkgs/main/default.nix
+++ b/nix/pkgs/main/default.nix
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ commonAttrs = {
       ];
     };
 
-    dontStrip = profile == "dev";
+    dontStrip = profile == "dev" || profile == "test";
 
     buildInputs = lib.optional (featureEnabled "jemalloc") rust-jemalloc-sys';