diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index d8a1109d90..91a5a737b2 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ if("$ENV{ENABLE_AMICI_DEBUGGING}" OR "$ENV{ENABLE_GCOV_COVERAGE}")
   else()
     add_compile_options(-O0 -g)
   endif()
-  set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE "Debug")
 endif()
 
 # coverage options
diff --git a/scripts/buildAmici.sh b/scripts/buildAmici.sh
index 80b724c8c3..cb2428579c 100755
--- a/scripts/buildAmici.sh
+++ b/scripts/buildAmici.sh
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ mkdir -p "${amici_build_dir}"
 cd "${amici_build_dir}"
 
 if [ "${GITHUB_ACTIONS:-}" = true ] ||
-  [ "${ENABLE_AMICI_DEBUGGING:-}" = TRUE ]; then
+  [ "${ENABLE_AMICI_DEBUGGING:-}" = TRUE ] ||
+  [ "${ENABLE_GCOV_COVERAGE:-}" = TRUE ]; then
   # Running on CI server
   build_type="Debug"
   # exceptions instead of terminate()
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.template.cmake b/src/CMakeLists.template.cmake
index ee50a551e8..575855be4a 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.template.cmake
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.template.cmake
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ if("$ENV{ENABLE_AMICI_DEBUGGING}" OR "$ENV{ENABLE_GCOV_COVERAGE}")
   else()
     add_compile_options(-O0 -g)
   endif()
-  set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE "Debug")
 endif()
 
 # coverage options