diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 37f3c1e..ca17ba0 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 project('wrenpp', 'cpp',
   version: '0.1.0',
   meson_version: '>=0.49.2',
-  default_options: ['debug=true', 'cpp_std=c++17', 'b_ndebug=if-release'],
+  default_options: ['buildtype=release', 'cpp_std=c++17', 'b_ndebug=if-release'],
 )
 
 wren_dep = dependency('wren', version: '>=0.2.0',
diff --git a/subprojects/wren/meson.build b/subprojects/wren/meson.build
index d3825bf..1910874 100644
--- a/subprojects/wren/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/wren/meson.build
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 project('wren', 'c',
   version: '0.2.0',
   meson_version: '>=0.49.2',
-  default_options: ['debug=false', 'c_std=c99', 'build_testing=true'],
+  default_options: ['buildtype=release', 'c_std=c99', 'build_testing=true'],
 )
 
 c_compiler = meson.get_compiler('c')