diff --git a/subsys/bluetooth/controller/CMakeLists.txt b/subsys/bluetooth/controller/CMakeLists.txt
index a2fb0d22508..a9761dc217d 100644
--- a/subsys/bluetooth/controller/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/subsys/bluetooth/controller/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -212,6 +212,11 @@ add_subdirectory_ifdef(
   ll_sw/openisa
   )
 
+zephyr_library_compile_options_ifdef(
+  CONFIG_BT_CTLR_OPTIMIZE_FOR_SIZE
+  ${OPTIMIZE_FOR_SIZE_FLAG}
+  )
+
 zephyr_library_compile_options_ifdef(
   CONFIG_BT_CTLR_OPTIMIZE_FOR_SPEED
   ${OPTIMIZE_FOR_SPEED_FLAG}
diff --git a/subsys/bluetooth/controller/Kconfig.ll_sw_split b/subsys/bluetooth/controller/Kconfig.ll_sw_split
index 8e1bc6d615c..e4428929e35 100644
--- a/subsys/bluetooth/controller/Kconfig.ll_sw_split
+++ b/subsys/bluetooth/controller/Kconfig.ll_sw_split
@@ -598,12 +598,34 @@ config BT_CTLR_DYNAMIC_INTERRUPTS
 	  permit use of SoC's peripheral for custom use when Bluetooth is not
 	  enabled.
 
-config BT_CTLR_OPTIMIZE_FOR_SPEED
-	prompt "Optimize for Speed"
-	bool
-	default y
+choice
+	prompt "Optimization options"
+	depends on !LTO
+	default BT_CTLR_OPTIMIZE_FOR_SPEED
+
+config BT_CTLR_OPTIMIZE_FOR_APP_DEFAULT
+	bool "Optimize for application defaults"
 	help
-	  Optimize compilation of controller for execution speed.
+	  Optimize compilation of Controller for application's default.
+
+config BT_CTLR_OPTIMIZE_FOR_SIZE
+	bool "Optimize for space"
+	help
+	  Optimize compilation of Controller for code size.
+
+	  This is the Zephyr project default, but is overridden to use optimize
+	  for speed when compiling the Controller to reduce application's ISR
+	  and thread latencies.
+
+config BT_CTLR_OPTIMIZE_FOR_SPEED
+	bool "Optimize for Speed"
+	help
+	  Optimize compilation of Controller for execution speed. As the
+	  Controller's Upper Link Layer and Lower Link Layer execute in ISRs,
+	  use of speed optimizations reduces application's ISR and thread
+	  latencies.
+
+endchoice
 
 config BT_CTLR_XTAL_ADVANCED
 	bool "Advanced event preparation"