diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 04ee2bc19..ca3be38a5 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 20)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED true)
 set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD 11)
 
+if (NOT XCODE AND NOT MSVC AND NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+    set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Release CACHE STRING "Build type" FORCE)
+    set_property(CACHE CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE PROPERTY STRINGS "Debug" "Release" "MinSizeRel" "RelWithDebInfo")
+endif()
+
 option(LLAMA_ALL_WARNINGS            "llama: enable all compiler warnings"                   ON)
 option(LLAMA_ALL_WARNINGS_3RD_PARTY  "llama: enable all compiler warnings in 3rd party libs" OFF)