diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index ab93125..426e4be 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,11 +26,11 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 11)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_EXTENSIONS OFF)
 
-# Setup Raven Project
-PROJECT(${SKBUILD_PROJECT_NAME} LANGUAGES CXX VERSION ${SKBUILD_PROJECT_VERSION})
-
-# Set the RavenHydroFramework source code directory
-SET(raven_SOURCE_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/RavenHydroFramework")
+# Set default build type in CMake if skbuild is set
+IF(FORCE_BUILD_TYPE)
+    SET(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE "${FORCE_BUILD_TYPE_VALUE}" CACHE STRING "Overwrite build type" FORCE)
+    message(STATUS "Force modified CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE to '${FORCE_BUILD_TYPE_VALUE}'")
+ENDIF()
 
 # Remove deprecation warnings for GCC
 IF(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ IF(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
     message(STATUS "Modified compile flags with '-Wno-deprecated'")
 ENDIF(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
 
+# Setup Raven Project
+PROJECT(${SKBUILD_PROJECT_NAME} LANGUAGES CXX VERSION ${SKBUILD_PROJECT_VERSION})
+
+# Set the RavenHydroFramework source code directory
+SET(raven_SOURCE_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/RavenHydroFramework")
+
 IF(NOT EXISTS ${raven_SOURCE_DIR} OR ${ALWAYS_DOWNLOAD})
     IF(NOT EXISTS ${raven_SOURCE_DIR})
         message(STATUS "Sources ${raven_SOURCE_DIR} not found: fetching Raven source files from remote")
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 807668c..8977db0 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ ALWAYS_DOWNLOAD = false
 COMPILE_EXE = true
 # trigger the library building block in the CMakeLists.txt (NOT YET IMPLEMENTED)
 COMPILE_LIB = false
+# force build type
+FORCE_BUILD_TYPE = true
+FORCE_BUILD_TYPE_VALUE = "Debug"
 # trigger the python library building block in the CMakeLists.txt
 PYTHON = true
 # the folder where the netcdf finding script is located