diff --git a/scripts/pico_project.py b/scripts/pico_project.py
index 81df9b3..4b2caca 100644
--- a/scripts/pico_project.py
+++ b/scripts/pico_project.py
@@ -1174,19 +1174,19 @@ def DoEverything(parent, params):
     if isWindows:
         if shutil.which("ninja") or (params["ninjaPath"] != None and params["ninjaPath"] != ""):
             # When installing SDK version 1.5.0 on windows with installer pico-setup-windows-x64-standalone.exe, ninja is used 
-            cmakeCmd = params['cmakePath'] + ' -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug -G Ninja ..'
+            cmakeCmd = params['cmakePath'] + ' -G Ninja ..'
             makeCmd = params['ninjaPath'] + ' '        
         else:
             # Everything else assume nmake
-            cmakeCmd = params['cmakePath'] + ' -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug -G "NMake Makefiles" ..'
+            cmakeCmd = params['cmakePath'] + ' -G "NMake Makefiles" ..'
             makeCmd = 'nmake '
     else:
         # Ninja now works OK under Linux, so if installed use it by default. It's faster.
         if shutil.which("ninja") or (params["ninjaPath"] != None and params["ninjaPath"] != ""):
-            cmakeCmd = params['cmakePath'] + ' -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug -G Ninja ..'
+            cmakeCmd = params['cmakePath'] + ' -G Ninja ..'
             makeCmd = params['ninjaPath'] + ' '
         else:
-            cmakeCmd = params['cmakePath'] + ' -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug ..'
+            cmakeCmd = params['cmakePath'] + ' ..'
             makeCmd = 'make -j' + str(cpus)
 
     os.system(cmakeCmd)
diff --git a/src/utils/cmakeUtil.mts b/src/utils/cmakeUtil.mts
index ad69858..85ef90c 100644
--- a/src/utils/cmakeUtil.mts
+++ b/src/utils/cmakeUtil.mts
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ export async function configureCmakeNinja(folder: Uri): Promise<boolean> {
         const command =
           `${
             process.env.ComSpec === "powershell.exe" ? "&" : ""
-          }"${cmake}" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug ${
+          }"${cmake}" ${
             pythonPath.includes("/")
               ? `-DPython3_EXECUTABLE="${pythonPath.replaceAll("\\", "/")}" `
               : ""