diff --git a/README b/README
index 6dfbd8c3024..414b6584823 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ You should do a "make clean" at the toplevel first.)
 
 To get an optimized build of Python, "configure --with-optimizations" before
 you run make.  This sets the default make targets up to enable Profile Guided
-Optimization (PGO) and Link Time Optimization (LTO) on most platforms.
-For more details, see the sections bellow.
+Optimization (PGO) and may be used to auto-enable Link Time Optimization (LTO)
+on some platforms.  For more details, see the sections bellow.
 
 
 Profile Guided Optimization
@@ -79,9 +79,10 @@ that is optimized and suitable for distribution or production installation.
 Link Time Optimization
 ----------------------
 
-LTO takes advantages of recent compiler toolchains ability to optimize across
-the otherwise arbitrary .o file boundary when building final executables or
-shared libraries for additional performance gains.
+Enabled via configure's --with-lto flag.  LTO takes advantages of recent
+compiler toolchains ability to optimize across the otherwise arbitrary .o file
+boundary when building final executables or shared libraries for additional
+performance gains.
 
 
 What's New
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index c73b829e299..ab1c32acc96 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1509,7 +1509,7 @@ Optional Packages:
                           compiler
   --with-suffix=.exe      set executable suffix
   --with-pydebug          build with Py_DEBUG defined
-  --with-optimizations    Enable all optimizations when available (LTO, PGO,
+  --with-optimizations    Enable expensive optimizations (PGO, maybe LTO,
                           etc). Disabled by default.
   --with-lto              Enable Link Time Optimization in PGO builds.
                           Disabled by default.
@@ -6565,13 +6565,10 @@ $as_echo "no" >&6; }
 fi
 
 if test "$Py_OPT" = 'true' ; then
-  Py_LTO='true'
-  case $ac_sys_system in
-    Darwin*)
-      # At least on macOS El Capitan, LTO does not work with PGO.
-      Py_LTO='false'
-      ;;
-    esac
+  # Intentionally not forcing Py_LTO='true' here.  Too many toolchains do not
+  # compile working code using it and both test_distutils and test_gdb are
+  # broken when you do managed to get a toolchain that works with it.  People
+  # who want LTO need to use --with-lto themselves.
   DEF_MAKE_ALL_RULE="profile-opt"
   REQUIRE_PGO="yes"
   DEF_MAKE_RULE="build_all"
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c2aa8ae9537..36758d46dd4 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1235,7 +1235,7 @@ AC_SUBST(DEF_MAKE_ALL_RULE)
 AC_SUBST(DEF_MAKE_RULE)
 Py_OPT='false'
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(for --with-optimizations)
-AC_ARG_WITH(optimizations, AS_HELP_STRING([--with-optimizations], [Enable all optimizations when available (LTO, PGO, etc). Disabled by default.]),
+AC_ARG_WITH(optimizations, AS_HELP_STRING([--with-optimizations], [Enable expensive optimizations (PGO, maybe LTO, etc).  Disabled by default.]),
 [
 if test "$withval" != no
 then
@@ -1247,13 +1247,10 @@ else
 fi],
 [AC_MSG_RESULT(no)])
 if test "$Py_OPT" = 'true' ; then
-  Py_LTO='true'
-  case $ac_sys_system in
-    Darwin*)
-      # At least on macOS El Capitan, LTO does not work with PGO.
-      Py_LTO='false'
-      ;;
-    esac
+  # Intentionally not forcing Py_LTO='true' here.  Too many toolchains do not
+  # compile working code using it and both test_distutils and test_gdb are
+  # broken when you do managed to get a toolchain that works with it.  People
+  # who want LTO need to use --with-lto themselves.
   DEF_MAKE_ALL_RULE="profile-opt"
   REQUIRE_PGO="yes"
   DEF_MAKE_RULE="build_all"