diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index ca56c97b..68a06b28 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -80,10 +80,11 @@ endif
 config_h.set_quoted('HTTP_DOC_LINK', doc_url)
 
 config_h.set('_GNU_SOURCE', '1')
-if get_option('buildtype') == 'debug' or get_option('buildtype') == 'debugoptimized'
+
+is_debug_build = get_option('buildtype') == 'debug' or get_option('buildtype') == 'debugoptimized'
+if is_debug_build
+	config_h.set('IS_DEBUG_BUILD', '1')
 	config_h.set_quoted('MESON_BUILD_ROOT', meson.current_build_dir())
-else
-	config_h.set_quoted('MESON_BUILD_ROOT', '')
 endif
 
 prefix = '''#define _GNU_SOURCE 1
@@ -758,7 +759,7 @@ executable('ptraccel-debug',
 
 # Don't run the test during a release build because we rely on the magic
 # subtool lookup
-if get_option('buildtype') == 'debug' or get_option('buildtype') == 'debugoptimized'
+if is_debug_build
 	config_tool_option_test = configuration_data()
 	config_tool_option_test.set('DISABLE_WARNING', 'yes')
 	config_tool_option_test.set('MESON_ENABLED_DEBUG_GUI', get_option('debug-gui'))
diff --git a/src/builddir.h b/src/builddir.h
index 1f90a563..74203bdc 100644
--- a/src/builddir.h
+++ b/src/builddir.h
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 static inline bool
 builddir_lookup(char **builddir)
 {
+#ifdef IS_DEBUG_BUILD
 	char execdir[PATH_MAX];
 	char *pathsep;
 	ssize_t nread;
@@ -65,4 +66,7 @@ builddir_lookup(char **builddir)
 		*builddir = safe_strdup(execdir);
 
 	return true;
+#else
+	return false;
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/test/test-builddir-lookup.c b/test/test-builddir-lookup.c
index ae118fb1..15e3eeae 100644
--- a/test/test-builddir-lookup.c
+++ b/test/test-builddir-lookup.c
@@ -40,16 +40,14 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		assert(!is_builddir);
 		assert(builddir == NULL);
 	} else if (streq(mode, "--builddir-is-set")) {
-		/* In the case of release builds, the builddir is
-		   the empty string */
-		if (streq(MESON_BUILD_ROOT, "")) {
-			assert(!is_builddir);
-			assert(builddir == NULL);
-		} else {
-			assert(is_builddir);
-			assert(builddir);
-			assert(streq(MESON_BUILD_ROOT, builddir));
-		}
+#ifdef IS_DEBUG_BUILD
+		assert(is_builddir);
+		assert(builddir);
+		assert(streq(MESON_BUILD_ROOT, builddir));
+#else
+		assert(!is_builddir);
+		assert(builddir == NULL);
+#endif
 	} else {
 		abort();
 	}