diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 795cdc2fd..321cfc263 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ else()
     set(EXTRA_MAGICDBS "" CACHE STRING "List of compiled magicdb files separated with a :")
 endif()
 
-if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
-    set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE "Release" CACHE FORCE)
-endif(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+if (NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE AND NOT CMAKE_CONFIGURATION_TYPES)
+    set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE "Release" CACHE STRING "Using Release build type as it was left unset" FORCE)
+    set_property(CACHE CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE PROPERTY STRINGS "Debug" "Release")
+endif()
 
 set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/modules")