diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index dca2a0fc..5af0aeb2 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -25,8 +25,12 @@ if(NOT DEFINED FALCO_ETC_DIR)
 	set(FALCO_ETC_DIR "/etc/falco")
 endif()
 
-if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
-	SET(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Release)
+string(TOLOWER "${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}" CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+if (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "debug")
+	set(KBUILD_FLAGS "${DRAIOS_DEBUG_FLAGS} ${DRAIOS_FEATURE_FLAGS}")
+else()
+	set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE "release")
+	set(KBUILD_FLAGS "${DRAIOS_FEATURE_FLAGS}")
 endif()
 
 if(NOT DRAIOS_DEBUG_FLAGS)
@@ -55,12 +59,6 @@ if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES "Linux")
 	add_definitions(-DHAS_CAPTURE)
 endif()
 
-if(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "Debug")
-	set(KBUILD_FLAGS "${DRAIOS_DEBUG_FLAGS} ${DRAIOS_FEATURE_FLAGS}")
-else()
-	set(KBUILD_FLAGS "${DRAIOS_FEATURE_FLAGS}")
-endif()
-
 set(PACKAGE_NAME "falco")
 set(PROBE_VERSION "${FALCO_VERSION}")
 set(PROBE_NAME "falco-probe")