diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 75e26bde8..43e26b92e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -121,10 +121,14 @@ deps: | deps-common nat-libs waku.nims
 ### nim-libbacktrace
 
 # "-d:release" implies "--stacktrace:off" and it cannot be added to config.nims
-ifeq ($(USE_LIBBACKTRACE), 0)
-NIM_PARAMS := $(NIM_PARAMS) -d:debug -d:disable_libbacktrace
-else
+ifeq ($(DEBUG), 0)
 NIM_PARAMS := $(NIM_PARAMS) -d:release
+else
+NIM_PARAMS := $(NIM_PARAMS) -d:debug
+endif
+
+ifeq ($(USE_LIBBACKTRACE), 0)
+NIM_PARAMS := $(NIM_PARAMS) -d:disable_libbacktrace
 endif
 
 libbacktrace:
@@ -366,11 +370,11 @@ docker-liteprotocoltester-push:
 ################
 .PHONY: cbindings cwaku_example libwaku
 
-STATIC ?= false
+STATIC ?= 0
 
 libwaku: | build deps librln
 		rm -f build/libwaku*
-ifeq ($(STATIC), true)
+ifeq ($(STATIC), 1)
 		echo -e $(BUILD_MSG) "build/$@.a" && \
 		$(ENV_SCRIPT) nim libwakuStatic $(NIM_PARAMS) waku.nims
 else
diff --git a/ci/Jenkinsfile.release b/ci/Jenkinsfile.release
index 5ea0751e1..102d39287 100644
--- a/ci/Jenkinsfile.release
+++ b/ci/Jenkinsfile.release
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ pipeline {
           "--build-arg=MAKE_TARGET='${params.MAKE_TARGET}' " +
           "--build-arg=NIMFLAGS='${params.NIMFLAGS} -d:postgres ' " +
           "--build-arg=LOG_LEVEL='${params.LOWEST_LOG_LEVEL_ALLOWED}' "  +
+          "--build-arg=DEBUG='${params.DEBUG ? "1" : "0"} ' " +
           "--target=${params.DEBUG ? "debug" : "prod"} ."
         )
       } }