diff --git a/compiler/Makefile b/compiler/Makefile
index 70d5b5497..30cb29852 100644
--- a/compiler/Makefile
+++ b/compiler/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-BUILD_DIR=./build
+BUILD_TYPE?=Release
+BUILD_DIR?=./build-$(BUILD_TYPE)
 Python3_EXECUTABLE?=
 BINDINGS_PYTHON_ENABLED=ON
 DATAFLOW_EXECUTION_ENABLED=OFF
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ $(BUILD_DIR)/configured.stamp:
 	-DLLVM_ENABLE_PROJECTS="mlir;clang;openmp" \
 	-DLLVM_BUILD_EXAMPLES=OFF \
 	-DLLVM_TARGETS_TO_BUILD="host" \
-	-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
+	-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$(BUILD_TYPE) \
 	-DLLVM_ENABLE_ASSERTIONS=ON \
 	-DMLIR_ENABLE_BINDINGS_PYTHON=$(BINDINGS_PYTHON_ENABLED) \
 	-DCONCRETELANG_BINDINGS_PYTHON_ENABLED=$(BINDINGS_PYTHON_ENABLED) \