diff --git a/src/boot_fake_node/mod.rs b/src/boot_fake_node/mod.rs
index 7329e7f4..b86ec4a6 100644
--- a/src/boot_fake_node/mod.rs
+++ b/src/boot_fake_node/mod.rs
@@ -68,19 +68,23 @@ fn extract_zip(archive_path: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
 }
 
 #[autocontext::autocontext]
-pub fn compile_runtime(path: &Path, verbose: bool) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+pub fn compile_runtime(path: &Path, verbose: bool, release: bool) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     println!("Compiling Kinode runtime...");
 
+    let mut args = vec![
+        "+nightly",
+        "build",
+        "-p",
+        "kinode",
+        "--features",
+        "simulation-mode",
+    ];
+    if release {
+        args.push("--release");
+    }
+
     build::run_command(Command::new("cargo")
-        .args(&[
-            "+nightly",
-            "build",
-            "--release",
-            "-p",
-            "kinode",
-            "--features",
-            "simulation-mode",
-        ])
+        .args(&args)
         .current_dir(path)
         .stdout(if verbose { Stdio::inherit() } else { Stdio::null() })
         .stderr(if verbose { Stdio::inherit() } else { Stdio::null() })
@@ -350,6 +354,7 @@ pub async fn execute(
     fake_node_name: &str,
     password: &str,
     is_persist: bool,
+    release: bool,
     mut args: Vec<&str>,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let detached = false;  // TODO: to argument?
@@ -365,7 +370,7 @@ pub async fn execute(
             }
             if runtime_path.is_dir() {
                 // Compile the runtime binary
-                compile_runtime(&runtime_path, true)?;
+                compile_runtime(&runtime_path, true, release)?;
                 runtime_path.join("target/release/kinode")
             } else {
                 return Err(anyhow::anyhow!(
@@ -424,7 +429,7 @@ pub async fn execute(
     args.extend_from_slice(&["--fake-node-name", fake_node_name]);
     args.extend_from_slice(&["--password", password]);
     if is_testnet {
-        args.extend_from_slice(&["--testnet"]);
+        args.push("--testnet");
     }
 
     let (mut runtime_process, master_fd) = run_runtime(
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 027d31ee..3660380f 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ async fn execute(
             let fake_node_name = boot_matches.get_one::<String>("NODE_NAME").unwrap();
             let password = boot_matches.get_one::<String>("PASSWORD").unwrap();
             let is_persist = boot_matches.get_one::<bool>("PERSIST").unwrap();
+            let release = boot_matches.get_one::<bool>("RELEASE").unwrap();
 
             boot_fake_node::execute(
                 runtime_path,
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ async fn execute(
                 fake_node_name,
                 password,
                 *is_persist,
+                *release,
                 vec![],
             ).await
         },
@@ -319,6 +321,12 @@ async fn make_app(current_dir: &std::ffi::OsString) -> anyhow::Result<Command> {
                 .help("Password to login")
                 .default_value("secret")
             )
+            .arg(Arg::new("RELEASE")
+                .action(ArgAction::SetTrue)
+                .long("release")
+                .help("If set and given --runtime-path, compile release build [default: debug build]")
+                .required(false)
+            )
             .arg(Arg::new("help")
                 .long("help")
                 .action(ArgAction::Help)
diff --git a/src/run_tests/mod.rs b/src/run_tests/mod.rs
index d1ebb8d4..2306615b 100644
--- a/src/run_tests/mod.rs
+++ b/src/run_tests/mod.rs
@@ -442,6 +442,7 @@ pub async fn execute(config_path: &str) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
                 compile_runtime(
                     &runtime_path,
                     config.runtime_build_verbose,
+                    config.runtime_build_release,
                 )?;
                 runtime_path.join("target/release/kinode")
             } else {
diff --git a/src/run_tests/types.rs b/src/run_tests/types.rs
index 137f1db2..b56c1332 100644
--- a/src/run_tests/types.rs
+++ b/src/run_tests/types.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use serde::{Serialize, Deserialize};
 pub struct Config {
     pub runtime: Runtime,
     pub runtime_build_verbose: bool,
+    pub runtime_build_release: bool,
     pub tests: Vec<Test>,
 }