diff --git a/build.rs b/build.rs
index 4da408a..8f87548 100644
--- a/build.rs
+++ b/build.rs
@@ -39,9 +39,10 @@ lazy_static::lazy_static! {
     static ref V8_FORCE_MONOLITH_DOWNLOAD: bool = env::var("V8_FORCE_DOWNLOAD_V8_MONOLITH").map(|v| v == "yes").unwrap_or(false);
 }
 
-fn run_cmd(cmd: &str, args: &[&str]) {
+fn run_cmd_with_env(cmd: &str, args: &[&str], env: &[(&str, &str)]) {
     let failure_message = format!("Failed running command: {} {}", cmd, args.join(" "));
     if !Command::new(cmd)
+        .envs(env.iter().map(|v| v.clone()))
         .args(args)
         .status()
         .expect(&failure_message)
@@ -51,6 +52,10 @@ fn run_cmd(cmd: &str, args: &[&str]) {
     }
 }
 
+fn run_cmd(cmd: &str, args: &[&str]) {
+    run_cmd_with_env(cmd, args, &[])
+}
+
 fn main() {
     println!("cargo:rerun-if-changed=v8_c_api/src/v8_c_api.h");
     println!("cargo:rerun-if-changed=v8_c_api/src/v8_c_api.cpp");
@@ -69,7 +74,11 @@ fn main() {
         run_cmd("unzip", &[&V8_HEADERS_PATH, "-d", *V8_HEADERS_DIRECTORY]);
     }
 
-    run_cmd("make", &["-C", "v8_c_api/"]);
+    if PROFILE.as_str() == "debug" {
+        run_cmd_with_env("make", &["-C", "v8_c_api/"], &[("DEBUG", "1")]);
+    } else {
+        run_cmd("make", &["-C", "v8_c_api/"]);
+    }
 
     let output_dir = env::var("OUT_DIR").expect("Can not find out directory");
 
diff --git a/v8_c_api/src/Makefile b/v8_c_api/src/Makefile
index 222ae65..fc2d1f4 100644
--- a/v8_c_api/src/Makefile
+++ b/v8_c_api/src/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
+GCC_FLAGS=-std=c++17 -DV8_COMPRESS_POINTERS -DV8_ENABLE_SANDBOX
+ifeq ($(DEBUG),1)
+	GCC_FLAGS+=-O0 -DV8_ENABLE_CHECKS
+else
+	GCC_FLAGS+=-O2
+endif
+
 build:
-	g++ -I./v8include -fPIC -c -o2 -g v8_c_api.cpp -o c8_c_api.o -std=c++17 -DV8_COMPRESS_POINTERS -DV8_ENABLE_SANDBOX
+	g++ -I./v8include -fPIC -c -g v8_c_api.cpp -o c8_c_api.o $(GCC_FLAGS)
 	ar r libv8.a c8_c_api.o
 	
 clean:
-	rm -rf *.o *.a
\ No newline at end of file
+	rm -rf *.o *.a