diff --git a/identity/CMakeLists.txt b/identity/CMakeLists.txt
index f58757a02..b8997539a 100644
--- a/identity/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/identity/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -59,9 +59,7 @@ else ()
     target_compile_options(IotIdentity-cpp PRIVATE -Wall -Wno-long-long -pedantic -Werror)
 endif ()
 
-if (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "" OR CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE MATCHES Debug)
-    target_compile_definitions(IotIdentity-cpp PRIVATE "-DDEBUG_BUILD")
-endif ()
+target_compile_definitions(IotIdentity-cpp $<$<CONFIG:Debug>:DEBUG_BUILD>)
 
 if (BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
     target_compile_definitions(IotIdentity-cpp PUBLIC "-DAWS_IOTIDENTITY_USE_IMPORT_EXPORT")
diff --git a/jobs/CMakeLists.txt b/jobs/CMakeLists.txt
index 4059f09fa..d0371b69f 100644
--- a/jobs/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/jobs/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -59,9 +59,7 @@ else ()
     target_compile_options(IotJobs-cpp PRIVATE -Wall -Wno-long-long -pedantic -Werror)
 endif ()
 
-if (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "" OR CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE MATCHES Debug)
-    target_compile_definitions(IotJobs-cpp PRIVATE "-DDEBUG_BUILD")
-endif ()
+target_compile_definitions(IotJobs-cpp $<$<CONFIG:Debug>:DEBUG_BUILD>)
 
 if (BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
     target_compile_definitions(IotJobs-cpp PUBLIC "-DAWS_IOTJOBS_USE_IMPORT_EXPORT")
diff --git a/shadow/CMakeLists.txt b/shadow/CMakeLists.txt
index 96797b391..1a3345762 100644
--- a/shadow/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/shadow/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -59,9 +59,7 @@ else ()
     target_compile_options(IotShadow-cpp PRIVATE -Wall -Wno-long-long -pedantic -Werror)
 endif ()
 
-if (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "" OR CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE MATCHES Debug)
-    target_compile_definitions(IotShadow-cpp PRIVATE "-DDEBUG_BUILD")
-endif ()
+target_compile_definitions(IotShadow-cpp $<$<CONFIG:Debug>:DEBUG_BUILD>)
 
 if (BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
     target_compile_definitions(IotShadow-cpp PUBLIC "-DAWS_IOTSHADOW_USE_IMPORT_EXPORT")