diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 2a657148..6e6d0a41 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -19,7 +19,10 @@ endif()
 
 set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD 11)
 set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -DAMIGA -Wall -Wextra -fomit-frame-pointer")
-set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG} -DACE_DEBUG")
+if(ACE_DEBUG)
+	# Add ACE debugging features to release build
+	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -DACE_DEBUG")
+endif()
 file(GLOB_RECURSE SOURCES src/*.c)
 file(GLOB HEADERS_ACE include/ace/*.h)
 file(GLOB HEADERS_ACE_GENERIC include/ace/generic/*.h)
diff --git a/docs/programming/hello_world.md b/docs/programming/hello_world.md
index 417c78d0..cdad4641 100644
--- a/docs/programming/hello_world.md
+++ b/docs/programming/hello_world.md
@@ -56,6 +56,13 @@ include_directories(
 	${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src
 )
 
+if(GAME_DEBUG)
+  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -DGAME_DEBUG")
+endif()
+if(ACE_DEBUG)
+  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -DACE_DEBUG") # For ACE headers with ifdefs
+endif()
+
 # ACE
 # If you cloned ACE into subdirectory, e.g. to `deps/ace` folder, use following:
 add_subdirectory(deps/ace ace)