diff --git a/src/faebryk/core/cpp/CMakeLists.txt b/src/faebryk/core/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
index 11f9f92f..253fd8da 100644
--- a/src/faebryk/core/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/faebryk/core/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ message(STATUS "Python_INCLUDE_DIR: ${Python_INCLUDE_DIR}")
 message(STATUS "Python_LIBRARY: ${Python_LIBRARY}")
 
 # To make a debug build, run cmake with -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
+# or in environment: FBRK_CPP_DEBUG_BUILD=y
 if (NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE AND NOT CMAKE_CONFIGURATION_TYPES)
   set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Release CACHE STRING "Choose the type of build." FORCE)
   set_property(CACHE CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE PROPERTY STRINGS "Debug" "Release" "MinSizeRel" "RelWithDebInfo")
diff --git a/src/faebryk/core/cpp/__init__.py b/src/faebryk/core/cpp/__init__.py
index 40224b45..085cdb7d 100644
--- a/src/faebryk/core/cpp/__init__.py
+++ b/src/faebryk/core/cpp/__init__.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 
 LEAK_WARNINGS = ConfigFlag("CPP_LEAK_WARNINGS", default=False)
+DEBUG_BUILD = ConfigFlag("CPP_DEBUG_BUILD", default=False)
 
 
 # Check if installed as editable
@@ -63,6 +64,9 @@ def compile_and_load():
         if arch in ["arm64", "x86_64"]:
             other_flags += [f"-DCMAKE_OSX_ARCHITECTURES={arch}"]
 
+    if DEBUG_BUILD:
+        other_flags += ["-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug"]
+
     with global_lock(_build_dir / "lock", timeout_s=60):
         run_live(
             [