diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index dc8c1ca89..4f3dbc1de 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ cycamore Change Log
 * Update build procedure to link against Cyclus' cython generated libraries if needed (#596)
 * Minor modifications for compatibility with the latest GTest library (#598)
 * Remove FindCyclus.cmake from this repo since it is installed with Cyclus (#597)
+* Default to a Release build when installing via python script (#600)
 
 v1.5.5
 ====================
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile b/docker/Dockerfile
index 1da46f1cb..07d439b69 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ ARG make_cores=2
 COPY . /cycamore
 WORKDIR /cycamore
 
-RUN python install.py -j ${make_cores} --build-type=Release --allow-milps
+RUN python install.py -j ${make_cores} --allow-milps
 
 FROM cycamore as deb-generation
 WORKDIR /cycamore/build
diff --git a/install.py b/install.py
index f476c575f..1809c8954 100755
--- a/install.py
+++ b/install.py
@@ -184,7 +184,8 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument('--cmake_prefix_path', help=cmake_prefix_path)
 
     build_type = "the CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE"
-    parser.add_argument('--build-type', '--build_type', help=build_type)
+    parser.add_argument('--build-type', '--build_type', help=build_type,
+                        default='Release')
 
     parser.add_argument('-D', metavar='VAR', action='append',
                         help='Set enviornment variable(s).')