diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 82aa4946d7..535ac7b599 100755
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -57,9 +57,11 @@ endif
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(SGX_DEBUG), 1)
+	# we build with cargo --release, even in SGX DEBUG mode
 	SGX_COMMON_CFLAGS += -O0 -g -ggdb
-	OUTPUT_PATH := debug
-	CARGO_TARGET :=
+	# cargo sets this automatically, cannot use 'debug'
+	OUTPUT_PATH := release
+	CARGO_TARGET := --release
 else
 	SGX_COMMON_CFLAGS += -O2
 	OUTPUT_PATH := release
diff --git a/enclave-runtime/Makefile b/enclave-runtime/Makefile
index 7fab8f1a00..bf32083e5d 100644
--- a/enclave-runtime/Makefile
+++ b/enclave-runtime/Makefile
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ Rust_Enclave_Files := $(wildcard src/*.rs) $(wildcard ../stf/src/*.rs)
 Rust_Target_Path := $(CURDIR)/../../../xargo
 
 ifeq ($(SGX_DEBUG), 1)
-	OUTPUT_PATH := debug
-	CARGO_TARGET :=
+	OUTPUT_PATH := release
+	CARGO_TARGET := --release
 else
 	OUTPUT_PATH := release
 	CARGO_TARGET := --release