diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-wheels.yml b/.github/workflows/build-wheels.yml
index 4ef41f4d1..c692a26f0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-wheels.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-wheels.yml
@@ -160,13 +160,18 @@ jobs:
       if: ${{ !inputs.run_tests }}
       run: echo "TEST_COMMAND=python -c 'import aerospike'" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
-    - name: Set environment variables for building
-      run: echo "UNOPTIMIZED=${{ inputs.build-for-debugging }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+    - name: Build without optimizations
+      if: ${{ inputs.build-for-debugging }}
+      run: echo "CIBW_ENVIRONMENT_PASS_LINUX_VARS='UNOPTIMIZED=1'" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+    - name: Build with optimizations (e.g for production)
+      if: ${{ !inputs.build-for-debugging }}
+      run: echo "CIBW_ENVIRONMENT_PASS_LINUX_VARS=''" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
     - name: Build wheel
       uses: pypa/cibuildwheel@v2.15.0
       env:
-        CIBW_ENVIRONMENT_PASS_LINUX: ${{ env.UNOPTIMIZED }}
+        CIBW_ENVIRONMENT_PASS_LINUX: ${{ env.CIBW_ENVIRONMENT_PASS_LINUX_VARS }}
         CIBW_BUILD: ${{ matrix.python }}-manylinux_${{ matrix.platform }}
         CIBW_BUILD_FRONTEND: build
         CIBW_BEFORE_ALL_LINUX: >