diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 8a621e12b04..7e8a5ecd88e 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,21 @@
 #set -x
 set -e
 
+codegen_channel=debug
+
+while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
+    case $1 in
+        --release)
+            codegen_channel=release
+            shift
+            ;;
+        *)
+            echo "Unknown option $1"
+            exit 1
+            ;;
+    esac
+done
+
 if [ -f ./gcc_path ]; then
     export GCC_PATH=$(cat gcc_path)
 else
@@ -21,7 +36,7 @@ if [[ "$1" == "--features" ]]; then
     shift
 fi
 
-if [[ "$1" == "--release" ]]; then
+if [[ "$codegen_channel" == "release" ]]; then
     export CHANNEL='release'
     CARGO_INCREMENTAL=1 cargo rustc --release $features
 else
@@ -37,3 +52,4 @@ mkdir -p target/out/gccjit
 
 echo "[BUILD] sysroot"
 time ./build_sysroot/build_sysroot.sh $CHANNEL
+