diff --git a/crate2nix/Cargo.nix b/crate2nix/Cargo.nix
index 21e953c1..43264043 100644
--- a/crate2nix/Cargo.nix
+++ b/crate2nix/Cargo.nix
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 , rootFeatures ? [ "default" ]
   # If true, throw errors instead of issueing deprecation warnings.
 , strictDeprecation ? false
+  # Whether to perform release builds: longer compile times, faster binaries.
+, release ? true
 }:
 
 rec {
@@ -2878,7 +2880,7 @@ rec {
                     sha256 = crateConfig.sha256;
                   }
                 );
-                inherit features dependencies buildDependencies crateRenames;
+                inherit features dependencies buildDependencies crateRenames release;
               }
             );
       in
diff --git a/crate2nix/templates/build.nix.tera b/crate2nix/templates/build.nix.tera
index d219ae60..bf18a230 100644
--- a/crate2nix/templates/build.nix.tera
+++ b/crate2nix/templates/build.nix.tera
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 , rootFeatures ? [ "default" ]
   # If true, throw errors instead of issueing deprecation warnings.
 , strictDeprecation ? false
+  # Whether to perform release builds: longer compile times, faster binaries.
+, release ? true
 }:
 
 rec {
diff --git a/crate2nix/templates/nix/crate2nix/default.nix b/crate2nix/templates/nix/crate2nix/default.nix
index f2b74f0e..db8403b5 100644
--- a/crate2nix/templates/nix/crate2nix/default.nix
+++ b/crate2nix/templates/nix/crate2nix/default.nix
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 , strictDeprecation ? true
 , crates ? {}
 , rootFeatures ? []
+, release ? true
 }:
 rec {
   # #}
@@ -243,7 +244,7 @@ rec {
                     sha256 = crateConfig.sha256;
                   }
                 );
-                inherit features dependencies buildDependencies crateRenames;
+                inherit features dependencies buildDependencies crateRenames release;
               }
             );
       in
diff --git a/sample_projects/bin_with_git_branch_dep/Cargo.nix b/sample_projects/bin_with_git_branch_dep/Cargo.nix
index 9b06035e..f2a1e0fc 100644
--- a/sample_projects/bin_with_git_branch_dep/Cargo.nix
+++ b/sample_projects/bin_with_git_branch_dep/Cargo.nix
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 , rootFeatures ? [ "default" ]
   # If true, throw errors instead of issueing deprecation warnings.
 , strictDeprecation ? false
+  # Whether to perform release builds: longer compile times, faster binaries.
+, release ? true
 }:
 
 rec {
@@ -344,7 +346,7 @@ rec {
                     sha256 = crateConfig.sha256;
                   }
                 );
-                inherit features dependencies buildDependencies crateRenames;
+                inherit features dependencies buildDependencies crateRenames release;
               }
             );
       in
diff --git a/sample_projects/bin_with_git_submodule_dep/Cargo.nix b/sample_projects/bin_with_git_submodule_dep/Cargo.nix
index b16f350e..80a48ac3 100644
--- a/sample_projects/bin_with_git_submodule_dep/Cargo.nix
+++ b/sample_projects/bin_with_git_submodule_dep/Cargo.nix
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 , rootFeatures ? [ "default" ]
   # If true, throw errors instead of issueing deprecation warnings.
 , strictDeprecation ? false
+  # Whether to perform release builds: longer compile times, faster binaries.
+, release ? true
 }:
 
 rec {
@@ -1518,7 +1520,7 @@ rec {
                     sha256 = crateConfig.sha256;
                   }
                 );
-                inherit features dependencies buildDependencies crateRenames;
+                inherit features dependencies buildDependencies crateRenames release;
               }
             );
       in
diff --git a/tests.nix b/tests.nix
index f598ffe7..fbf5c015 100644
--- a/tests.nix
+++ b/tests.nix
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ let
             ./. + "/${pregeneratedBuild}";
         derivationAttr =
           lib.attrByPath
-            derivationAttrPath null (buildTestPkgs.callPackage generatedCargoNix {});
+            derivationAttrPath null
+            (buildTestPkgs.callPackage generatedCargoNix { release = false; });
         derivation =
           if builtins.isNull customBuild
           then