diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index b4bd5feaea..284a65460a 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+2016.11-rc1,
+
+	CMake support:
+
+	The toolchainfile.cmake file now provides a definition of the
+	CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE variable.
+
 2016.08, Released September 1st, 2016
 
 	Minor fixes.
diff --git a/package/pkg-cmake.mk b/package/pkg-cmake.mk
index 4883b3b35a..4e0e8382de 100644
--- a/package/pkg-cmake.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-cmake.mk
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ define $(2)_CONFIGURE_CMDS
 	PATH=$$(BR_PATH) \
 	$$($$(PKG)_CONF_ENV) $$(BR2_CMAKE) $$($$(PKG)_SRCDIR) \
 		-DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE="$$(HOST_DIR)/usr/share/buildroot/toolchainfile.cmake" \
-		-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$$(if $$(BR2_ENABLE_DEBUG),Debug,Release) \
 		-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="/usr" \
 		-DCMAKE_COLOR_MAKEFILE=OFF \
 		-DBUILD_DOC=OFF \
@@ -247,5 +246,6 @@ $(HOST_DIR)/usr/share/buildroot/toolchainfile.cmake:
 		-e 's#@@TARGET_FC@@#$(subst $(HOST_DIR)/,,$(call qstrip,$(TARGET_FC)))#' \
 		-e 's#@@CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR@@#$(call qstrip,$(CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR))#' \
 		-e 's#@@TOOLCHAIN_HAS_FORTRAN@@#$(if $(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_HAS_FORTRAN),1,0)#' \
+		-e 's#@@CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE@@#$(if $(BR2_ENABLE_DEBUG),Debug,Release)#' \
 		$(TOPDIR)/support/misc/toolchainfile.cmake.in \
 		> $@
diff --git a/support/misc/toolchainfile.cmake.in b/support/misc/toolchainfile.cmake.in
index 649b52d72a..1c5031f26a 100644
--- a/support/misc/toolchainfile.cmake.in
+++ b/support/misc/toolchainfile.cmake.in
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ string(REPLACE "/usr/share/buildroot" "" RELOCATED_HOST_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST
 set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME Linux)
 set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR @@CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR@@)
 
+# Build type from the Buildroot configuration
+set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE @@CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE@@ CACHE STRING "Buildroot build configuration")
+
 set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "@@TARGET_CFLAGS@@ ${CMAKE_C_FLAGS}" CACHE STRING "Buildroot CFLAGS")
 set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "@@TARGET_CXXFLAGS@@ ${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}" CACHE STRING "Buildroot CXXFLAGS")
 set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "@@TARGET_LDFLAGS@@ ${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS}" CACHE STRING "Buildroot LDFLAGS")