diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 22ee4bf0..b902c80a 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ if not have_xwayland
 add_project_arguments('-DNO_XWAYLAND', language: 'cpp')
 endif
 
+if get_option('buildtype') == 'debug'
+  add_project_arguments('-DHYPRLAND_DEBUG', language: 'cpp')
+endif
+
 subdir('protocols')
 subdir('src')
 subdir('hyprctl')
diff --git a/src/debug/HyprCtl.cpp b/src/debug/HyprCtl.cpp
index 83656e13..66a8128d 100644
--- a/src/debug/HyprCtl.cpp
+++ b/src/debug/HyprCtl.cpp
@@ -114,6 +114,9 @@ std::string versionRequest() {
 #ifndef NDEBUG
     result += "debug\n";
 #endif
+#ifdef HYPRLAND_DEBUG
+	result += "debug\n";
+#endif
 #ifdef NO_XWAYLAND
     result += "no xwayland\n";
 #endif
diff --git a/src/defines.hpp b/src/defines.hpp
index 18db3955..80750c23 100644
--- a/src/defines.hpp
+++ b/src/defines.hpp
@@ -7,10 +7,14 @@
 #include "wlrunstable/wlr_ext_workspace_v1.hpp"
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG
+#ifdef HYPRLAND_DEBUG
 #define ISDEBUG true
 #else
 #define ISDEBUG false
 #endif
+#else
+#define ISDEBUG false
+#endif
 
 #define RIP(format, ... ) { fprintf(stderr, format "\n", ##__VA_ARGS__); exit(EXIT_FAILURE); }