diff --git a/src/mono/sample/iOS-NativeAOT/Program.csproj b/src/mono/sample/iOS-NativeAOT/Program.csproj
index 45b0a262bdea77..4bf35ce171a195 100644
--- a/src/mono/sample/iOS-NativeAOT/Program.csproj
+++ b/src/mono/sample/iOS-NativeAOT/Program.csproj
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
     <RuntimeIdentifier>$(TargetOS)-$(TargetArchitecture)</RuntimeIdentifier>
     <AppName>HelloiOS</AppName>
     <GenerateXcodeProject>true</GenerateXcodeProject>
+    <Optimized Condition="'$(Configuration)' == 'Release'">true</Optimized>
     <UseNativeAOTRuntime Condition="'$(UseNativeAOTRuntime)' == ''">true</UseNativeAOTRuntime>
     <RunAOTCompilation>false</RunAOTCompilation>
     <NativeLib>static</NativeLib>