diff --git a/GNUmakefile b/GNUmakefile
index ce74d750..39b91cea 100644
--- a/GNUmakefile
+++ b/GNUmakefile
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ ifndef OS
 endif
 
 # default is to build with debug symbols
-ifndef NODEBUG
-	NODEBUG = 0
+ifndef RELEASE
+	RELEASE = 0
 endif
 
 # parameters
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ export CFLAGS
 export CXXFLAGS
 # TODO RCFLAGS
 export LDFLAGS
-export NODEBUG
+export RELEASE
 export EXAMPLE
 export PREFIX
 
diff --git a/build/GNUbasegcc.mk b/build/GNUbasegcc.mk
index dfbfb6c3..757d8fd7 100644
--- a/build/GNUbasegcc.mk
+++ b/build/GNUbasegcc.mk
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ CXXFLAGS += \
 LDFLAGS += \
 	-fPIC
 
-ifneq ($(NODEBUG),1)
+ifneq ($(RELEASE),1)
 	CFLAGS += -g
 	CXXFLAGS += -g
 	LDFLAGS += -g
diff --git a/build/GNUbasemsvc.mk b/build/GNUbasemsvc.mk
index 1ef6b911..7e1bb6bf 100644
--- a/build/GNUbasemsvc.mk
+++ b/build/GNUbasemsvc.mk
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ CXXFLAGS += \
 LDFLAGS += \
 	-largeaddressaware -nologo -incremental:no
 
-ifneq ($(NODEBUG),1)
+ifneq ($(RELEASE),1)
 	CFLAGS += -Zi
 	CXXFLAGS += -Zi
 	LDFLAGS += -debug
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ $(OUT): $(OFILES) | $(OUTDIR)
 
 # TODO can we put /Fd$@.pdb in a variable?
 $(OBJDIR)/%.c.o: $$(subst _,/,%).c $(HFILES) | $(OBJDIR)
-ifeq ($(NODEBUG),1)
+ifeq ($(RELEASE),1)
 	@cl -Fo:$@ -c $< $(CFLAGS)
 else
 	@cl -Fo:$@ -c $< $(CFLAGS) -Fd$@.pdb
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ endif
 	@echo ====== Compiled $<
 
 $(OBJDIR)/%.cpp.o: $$(subst _,/,%).cpp $(HFILES) | $(OBJDIR)
-ifeq ($(NODEBUG),1)
+ifeq ($(RELEASE),1)
 	@cl -Fo:$@ -c $< $(CXXFLAGS)
 else
 	@cl -Fo:$@ -c $< $(CXXFLAGS) -Fd$@.pdb
diff --git a/buildnotes b/buildnotes
index bc33bd1b..8c5d9fb6 100644
--- a/buildnotes
+++ b/buildnotes
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ The build-time settings are
 		compiler flags
 		this is where you can specify -m32 or -m64, for instance
 		Objective-C uses $(CFLAGS)
-	NODEBUG=xxx
+	RELEASE=xxx
 		set to 1 to disable debug symbols
 		must be 1, any other value means "include debug symbols"
 	PREFIX=xxx