diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 467e347..4a4e817 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ AddOption('--32',
 
 build_type = GetOption('build_type')
 assertions = GetOption('assertions')
+stack_protection = GetOption('stack_protection')
 test_xml = GetOption('test_xml')
 prefix = GetOption('prefix')
 if not (build_type in ['debug', 'release']):
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ if build_type == 'release':
 elif build_type == 'debug':
     env.Append(CPPDEFINES = ['DEBUG'])
 
-if GetOption('stack_protection'):
+if stack_protection:
     env.Append(CFLAGS = ['-fstack-protector', '--param=ssp-buffer-size=4'])
     env.Append(CPPDEFINES = ['_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2'])
 
@@ -123,6 +124,12 @@ if GetOption('coverage'):
 # Generate substitute dictionary
 subst_info = dict(('@' + key + '@', version_info[key]) for key in version_info)
 subst_info['@prefix@'] = prefix
+subst_info['@build_type@'] = build_type
+if assertions:
+    subst_info['@build_type@'] += '_A'
+if stack_protection:
+    subst_info['@build_type@'] += '_SP'
+
 subst_info['@build_host@'] = platform.node()
 
 Export('env', 'build_type', 'prefix', 'version_info', 'test_xml', 'subst_info')
diff --git a/include/ucore/version.h b/include/ucore/version.h
index 23803a1..71a2225 100644
--- a/include/ucore/version.h
+++ b/include/ucore/version.h
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ extern const char ucore_version_str[];
  */
 extern const char ucore_build_host[];
 
+/** The build type (release or debug)
+ */
+extern const char ucore_build_type[];
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/version.c.in b/src/version.c.in
index 6f41e8d..ade8110 100644
--- a/src/version.c.in
+++ b/src/version.c.in
@@ -7,4 +7,5 @@ const int ucore_version_patch = @version_patch@;
 
 const char ucore_version_str[] = "@version_str@";
 const char ucore_build_host[] = "@build_host@";
+const char ucore_build_type[] = "@build_type@";