diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index b33a7ed24..d2137aa0e 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ include_directories(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/arm)
 include_directories(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/gba)
 include_directories(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src)
 
+if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+	set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Release CACHE STRING "Build type (e.g. Release or Debug)")
+endif()
+
 include(GNUInstallDirs)
 
 # Function definitions
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index eeed331b7..b671ee79d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ Compiling requires using CMake 2.8.11 or newer. To use CMake to build on a Unix-
 
 	mkdir build
 	cd build
-	cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
+	cmake ..
 	make
 	make install