diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5ad16e8..7fc1969 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,8 +12,19 @@ include(CheckLibraryExists)
 include(GNUInstallDirs)
 set(CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS ON)
 
-option(BUILD_ETCD_TESTS "Build test cases" OFF)
+set(DEFAULT_BUILD_TYPE "Release")
+if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE AND NOT CMAKE_CONFIGURATION_TYPES)
+    message(STATUS "Setting build type to '${DEFAULT_BUILD_TYPE}' as none was specified.")
+    set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE "${DEFAULT_BUILD_TYPE}" CACHE
+        STRING "Choose the type of build." FORCE
+    )
+    set_property(CACHE CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE PROPERTY STRINGS
+        "Debug" "Release" "MinSizeRel" "RelWithDebInfo"
+    )
+endif()
+
 option(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS "Build shared libraries" ON)
+option(BUILD_ETCD_TESTS "Build test cases" OFF)
 
 # reference: https://gitlab.kitware.com/cmake/community/-/wikis/doc/cmake/RPATH-handling#always-full-rpath
 set(CMAKE_BUILD_WITH_INSTALL_RPATH FALSE)