diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/build_environment.py b/lib/spack/spack/build_environment.py
index 2ef874803cb45ad8129650c37c297bb35c3f7eb3..f4f8037ac097350d8dd673d2901d1b8285392bb8 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/build_environment.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/build_environment.py
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ def set_module_variables_for_package(pkg, module):
 
     # standard CMake arguments
     m.std_cmake_args = ['-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=%s' % pkg.prefix,
-                        '-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release']
+                        '-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo']
     if platform.mac_ver()[0]:
         m.std_cmake_args.append('-DCMAKE_FIND_FRAMEWORK=LAST')