diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index c21295f0..e63c9843 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ if(NOT DEFINED FALCO_ETC_DIR)
 	set(FALCO_ETC_DIR "/etc/falco")
 endif()
 
+if(NOT DRAIOS_DEBUG_FLAGS)
+	set(DRAIOS_DEBUG_FLAGS "-D_DEBUG")
+endif()
+
 string(TOLOWER "${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}" CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
 if (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "debug")
 	set(KBUILD_FLAGS "${DRAIOS_DEBUG_FLAGS} ${DRAIOS_FEATURE_FLAGS}")
@@ -41,10 +45,6 @@ else()
 	set(KBUILD_FLAGS "${DRAIOS_FEATURE_FLAGS}")
 endif()
 
-if(NOT DRAIOS_DEBUG_FLAGS)
-	set(DRAIOS_DEBUG_FLAGS "-D_DEBUG")
-endif()
-
 set(CMAKE_COMMON_FLAGS "-Wall -ggdb ${DRAIOS_FEATURE_FLAGS}")
 
 if(BUILD_WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS)