It is a regression since gcc-4.3 but it was found only at artificial (GDB) testcase. Also at -O2 such behavior is even expected.
The variable is considered as optimized-out which should not happen on -O0. Testcase: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ int main (void) { int var; return 0; } ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ gcc -Wall -g WRONG gcc-4.4: < c> DW_AT_producer : (indirect string, offset: 0xb): GNU C 4.4.0 20090315 (experimental) <1><2d>: Abbrev Number: 2 (DW_TAG_subprogram) <2f> DW_AT_name : (indirect string, offset: 0x39): main <2><52>: Abbrev Number: 3 (DW_TAG_variable) <53> DW_AT_name : var <59> DW_AT_type : <0x5e> Correct gcc-4.3: < c> DW_AT_producer : (indirect string, offset: 0xf): GNU C 4.3.2 20081105 (Red Hat 4.3.2-7) <1><2d>: Abbrev Number: 2 (DW_TAG_subprogram) <2f> DW_AT_name : (indirect string, offset: 0x36): main <2><52>: Abbrev Number: 3 (DW_TAG_variable) <53> DW_AT_name : var <59> DW_AT_type : <0x61> <5d> DW_AT_location : 2 byte block: 91 6c (DW_OP_fbreg: -20) -- Summary: DW_AT_location missing for unused variables even at -O0 Product: gcc Version: 4.4.0 Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: minor Priority: P3 Component: debug AssignedTo: unassigned at gcc dot gnu dot org ReportedBy: jan dot kratochvil at redhat dot com GCC target triplet: x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=39474