diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_wamrc.yml b/.github/workflows/build_wamrc.yml
index df257723f0..ebc585cf38 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_wamrc.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_wamrc.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,14 @@ permissions:
 jobs:
   build:
     runs-on: ${{ inputs.runner }}
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - build_options: ""
+            suffix: "-gc"
+          - build_options: "-DWAMR_BUILD_GC=0"
+            suffix: ""
+
     permissions:
       contents: write # for uploading release artifacts
 
@@ -58,7 +66,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: generate wamrc binary release
         run: |
-          cmake -S . -B build
+          cmake -S . -B build ${{ matrix.build_options }}
           cmake --build build --config Release --parallel 4
         working-directory: wamr-compiler
 
@@ -89,17 +97,17 @@ jobs:
       - name: Compress the binary on Windows
         if: inputs.runner == 'windows-latest' && inputs.release
         run: |
-          tar -czf wamrc-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.tar.gz wamrc.exe
-          Compress-Archive -Path wamrc.exe -DestinationPath wamrc-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.zip
-          mv wamrc-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.* ../
+          tar -czf wamrc${{ matrix.suffix }}-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.tar.gz wamrc.exe
+          Compress-Archive -Path wamrc.exe -DestinationPath wamrc${{ matrix.suffix }}-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.zip
+          mv wamrc${{ matrix.suffix }}-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.* ../
         working-directory: wamr-compiler/build/Release
 
       - name: compress the binary on non-Windows
         if: inputs.runner != 'windows-latest' && inputs.release
         run: |
           # Follow the symlink to the actual binary file
-          tar --dereference -czf wamrc-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.tar.gz wamrc
-          zip wamrc-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.zip wamrc
+          tar --dereference -czf wamrc${{ matrix.suffix }}-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.tar.gz wamrc
+          zip wamrc${{ matrix.suffix }}-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.zip wamrc
         working-directory: wamr-compiler/build
 
       - name: upload release tar.gz
@@ -109,8 +117,8 @@ jobs:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         with:
           upload_url: ${{ inputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: wamr-compiler/build/wamrc-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.tar.gz
-          asset_name: wamrc-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.arch }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.tar.gz
+          asset_path: wamr-compiler/build/wamrc${{ matrix.suffix }}-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.tar.gz
+          asset_name: wamrc${{ matrix.suffix }}-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.arch }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.tar.gz
           asset_content_type: application/x-gzip
 
       - name: upload release zip
@@ -120,6 +128,6 @@ jobs:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         with:
           upload_url: ${{ inputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: wamr-compiler/build/wamrc-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.zip
-          asset_name: wamrc-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.arch }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.zip
+          asset_path: wamr-compiler/build/wamrc${{ matrix.suffix }}-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.zip
+          asset_name: wamrc${{ matrix.suffix }}-${{ inputs.ver_num }}-${{ inputs.arch }}-${{ inputs.runner }}.zip
           asset_content_type: application/zip
diff --git a/wamr-compiler/CMakeLists.txt b/wamr-compiler/CMakeLists.txt
index 00940c62d2..f10977f6e9 100644
--- a/wamr-compiler/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/wamr-compiler/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -55,7 +55,15 @@ add_definitions(-DWASM_ENABLE_MODULE_INST_CONTEXT=1)
 add_definitions(-DWASM_ENABLE_MEMORY64=1)
 add_definitions(-DWASM_ENABLE_EXTENDED_CONST_EXPR=1)
 
-add_definitions(-DWASM_ENABLE_GC=1)
+# Sync with iwasm in config_common.cmake.  Turn off GC by default.
+# can be turned on by setting WAMR_BUILD_GC to 1
+if (NOT DEFINED WAMR_BUILD_GC)
+  set(WAMR_BUILD_GC 0)
+  add_definitions(-DWASM_ENABLE_GC=0)
+else ()
+  set(WAMR_BUILD_GC 1)
+  add_definitions(-DWASM_ENABLE_GC=${WAMR_BUILD_GC})
+endif ()
 
 set (WAMR_BUILD_STRINGREF 1)
 set (WAMR_STRINGREF_IMPL_SOURCE "STUB")
@@ -285,7 +293,11 @@ include (${SHARED_DIR}/utils/shared_utils.cmake)
 include (${SHARED_DIR}/utils/uncommon/shared_uncommon.cmake)
 include (${IWASM_DIR}/libraries/thread-mgr/thread_mgr.cmake)
 include (${IWASM_DIR}/common/iwasm_common.cmake)
-include (${IWASM_DIR}/common/gc/iwasm_gc.cmake)
+if (WAMR_BUILD_GC EQUAL 1)
+  include (${IWASM_DIR}/common/gc/iwasm_gc.cmake)
+else ()
+  message (STATUS "WAMR GC is disabled")
+endif ()
 include (${IWASM_DIR}/interpreter/iwasm_interp.cmake)
 include (${IWASM_DIR}/aot/iwasm_aot.cmake)
 include (${IWASM_DIR}/compilation/iwasm_compl.cmake)
diff --git a/wamr-compiler/main.c b/wamr-compiler/main.c
index 2ca9a175db..bd75291ea7 100644
--- a/wamr-compiler/main.c
+++ b/wamr-compiler/main.c
@@ -179,7 +179,6 @@ print_help()
     printf("  --enable-memory-profiling Enable memory usage profiling\n");
     printf("  --xip                     A shorthand of --enable-indirect-mode --disable-llvm-intrinsics\n");
     printf("  --enable-indirect-mode    Enable call function through symbol table but not direct call\n");
-    printf("  --enable-gc               Enable GC (Garbage Collection) feature\n");
     printf("  --disable-llvm-intrinsics Disable the LLVM built-in intrinsics\n");
     printf("  --enable-builtin-intrinsics=<flags>\n");
     printf("                            Enable the specified built-in intrinsics, it will override the default\n");
@@ -424,7 +423,11 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     option.enable_aux_stack_check = true;
     option.enable_bulk_memory = true;
     option.enable_ref_types = true;
+#if WASM_ENABLE_GC != 0
+    option.enable_gc = true;
+#else
     option.enable_gc = false;
+#endif
     option.enable_extended_const = false;
     aot_call_stack_features_init_default(&option.call_stack_features);
 
@@ -573,10 +576,6 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         else if (!strcmp(argv[0], "--enable-indirect-mode")) {
             option.is_indirect_mode = true;
         }
-        else if (!strcmp(argv[0], "--enable-gc")) {
-            option.aux_stack_frame_type = AOT_STACK_FRAME_TYPE_STANDARD;
-            option.enable_gc = true;
-        }
         else if (!strcmp(argv[0], "--disable-llvm-intrinsics")) {
             option.disable_llvm_intrinsics = true;
         }