diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 649ad5d..7d397e1 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -8,3 +8,10 @@ option(
   value: 'default',
   description: 'The build profile. One of "default" or "development".'
 )
+
+option(
+  'debugbuild',
+  type: 'boolean',
+  value: false,
+  description: 'Build in debug mode, false by default.'
+)
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index 8805504..133b83f 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -14,13 +14,13 @@ run_command(
 cargo_options = [ '--manifest-path', meson.project_source_root() / 'Cargo.toml' ]
 cargo_options += [ '--target-dir', meson.project_build_root() / 'src' ]
 
-if get_option('profile') == 'default'
+if get_option('debugbuild')
+  rust_target = 'debug'
+  message('Building in debug mode')
+else
   cargo_options += [ '--release' ]
   rust_target = 'release'
   message('Building in release mode')
-else
-  rust_target = 'debug'
-  message('Building in debug mode')
 endif
 
 cargo_env = [ 'CARGO_HOME=' + meson.project_build_root() / 'cargo-home' ]