diff --git a/config/path b/config/path
index fcca196b45..424d12c8e3 100644
--- a/config/path
+++ b/config/path
@@ -52,6 +52,13 @@ SED="sed -i"
 
 unset LD_LIBRARY_PATH
 
+# Don't use BUILD_WITH_DEBUG in "gloabl" package.mk - instead, call the function
+# build_with_debug() directly as the function depends on various package.mk
+# variables that will be in the process of being configured. Once package.mk is
+# fully sourced we can set this variable and use it in situations where we know the
+# package has already been sourced.
+unset BUILD_WITH_DEBUG
+
 # If the package caches are unset, then populate them
 init_package_cache
 
@@ -141,6 +148,8 @@ fi
 
 PKG_BUILD="$BUILD/${PKG_NAME}-${PKG_VERSION}"
 
+build_with_debug && BUILD_WITH_DEBUG="yes" || BUILD_WITH_DEBUG="no"
+
 XORG_PATH_DRI=/usr/lib/dri
 XORG_PATH_XKB=/usr/share/X11/xkb
 XORG_PATH_XKB_OUTPUT=/var/lib/xkb