diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@
 option(BUILD_BITCOIN_QT "Build bitcoin-qt" ON)
 option(ENABLE_HARDENING "Harden the executables" ON)
 
+# Default to RelWithDebInfo configuration
+if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+	set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE RelWithDebInfo CACHE STRING
+		"Select the configuration for the build" FORCE)
+endif()
+
 # Cmake uses the CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE variable to select the build configuration.
 # By default it supports more configurations that needed for Bitcoin ABC, and
 # all the releases types set NDEBUG which is unwanted as it disables the assert