diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 3452f25fc1fbedef1625b0c431b1bbbef215f954..d184ef3bb827a0baf2a744ae9e9674f6c5de41a1 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -46,7 +46,12 @@ class CMakeBuild(build_ext):
         # used to launch setup.py to setup PythonInterp                                                                                                                                                   
         python_executable = sys.executable                                                                                                                                                                
         print(f"python executable :\t{python_executable}")                                                                                                                                                   
-        compile_type = "Debug"
+        compile_type = (
+            "Release"
+            if "AIDGE_PYTHON_BUILD_TYPE" not in os.environ
+            else os.environ["AIDGE_PYTHON_BUILD_TYPE"]
+        )
+
         install_path = (
             os.path.join(sys.prefix, "lib", "libAidge")
             if "AIDGE_INSTALL" not in os.environ
@@ -56,7 +61,7 @@ class CMakeBuild(build_ext):
             [
                 "cmake",
                 str(cwd),
-                f"-DPYTHON_EXECUTABLE={sys.executable}",
+                f"-DPYTHON_EXECUTABLE={python_executable}",
                 "-DTEST=OFF",
                 f"-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX:PATH={install_path}",
                 f"-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE={compile_type}",