diff --git a/cartesian_compliance_controller/CMakeLists.txt b/cartesian_compliance_controller/CMakeLists.txt
index c8a389fd..53f7b721 100644
--- a/cartesian_compliance_controller/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cartesian_compliance_controller/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
 set(ADDITIONAL_COMPILE_OPTIONS -Wall -Wextra -Wpedantic -Wno-unused-parameter)
 add_compile_options(${ADDITIONAL_COMPILE_OPTIONS})
 
+# Set build type to "Release" by default
+if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE) 
+  set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Release)
+endif(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+
 find_package(Eigen3 3.3 REQUIRED NO_MODULE)
 add_definitions(-DEIGEN_MPL2_ONLY)
 find_package(ament_cmake REQUIRED)
diff --git a/cartesian_controller_base/CMakeLists.txt b/cartesian_controller_base/CMakeLists.txt
index bf6b0186..6287a10b 100644
--- a/cartesian_controller_base/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cartesian_controller_base/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
 set(ADDITIONAL_COMPILE_OPTIONS -Wall -Wextra -Wpedantic -Wno-unused-parameter)
 add_compile_options(${ADDITIONAL_COMPILE_OPTIONS})
 
+# Set build type to "Release" by default
+if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE) 
+  set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Release)
+endif(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+
 # Use CMake to pass the current ROS_DISTRO via variables into a preprocessor template.
 # We then include this file and switch between the different APIs.
 if($ENV{ROS_DISTRO} STREQUAL "iron")
diff --git a/cartesian_force_controller/CMakeLists.txt b/cartesian_force_controller/CMakeLists.txt
index e42a57f1..e334cdd9 100644
--- a/cartesian_force_controller/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cartesian_force_controller/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
 set(ADDITIONAL_COMPILE_OPTIONS -Wall -Wextra -Wpedantic -Wno-unused-parameter)
 add_compile_options(${ADDITIONAL_COMPILE_OPTIONS})
 
+# Set build type to "Release" by default
+if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE) 
+  set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Release)
+endif(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+
 find_package(Eigen3 3.3 REQUIRED NO_MODULE)
 add_definitions(-DEIGEN_MPL2_ONLY)
 find_package(ament_cmake REQUIRED)
diff --git a/cartesian_motion_controller/CMakeLists.txt b/cartesian_motion_controller/CMakeLists.txt
index f82303ec..08e1f9f8 100644
--- a/cartesian_motion_controller/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cartesian_motion_controller/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
 set(ADDITIONAL_COMPILE_OPTIONS -Wall -Wextra -Wpedantic -Wno-unused-parameter)
 add_compile_options(${ADDITIONAL_COMPILE_OPTIONS})
 
+# Set build type to "Release" by default
+if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE) 
+  set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Release)
+endif(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+
 find_package(Eigen3 3.3 REQUIRED NO_MODULE)
 add_definitions(-DEIGEN_MPL2_ONLY)
 find_package(ament_cmake REQUIRED)