diff --git a/clutter/meson.build b/clutter/meson.build
index ab34c74c4..c914a2284 100644
--- a/clutter/meson.build
+++ b/clutter/meson.build
@@ -12,19 +12,18 @@ clutter_c_args = [
 ]
 
 clutter_debug_c_args = []
-if buildtype.startswith('debug')
-  clutter_debug_c_args += '-DG_DISABLE_CAST_CHECKS'
-  if buildtype == 'debug'
-    clutter_debug_c_args += '-DCLUTTER_ENABLE_DEBUG'
-  endif
-elif buildtype == 'release'
+if get_option('debug')
+  clutter_debug_c_args += [
+    '-DCLUTTER_ENABLE_DEBUG'
+  ]
+elif buildtype != 'plain'
   clutter_debug_c_args += [
     '-DG_DISABLE_ASSERT',
     '-DG_DISABLE_CHECKS',
     '-DG_DISABLE_CAST_CHECKS',
   ]
 endif
-
+supported_clutter_debug_c_args = cc.get_supported_arguments(clutter_debug_c_args)
 clutter_c_args += clutter_debug_c_args
 
 clutter_pkg_deps = [
diff --git a/cogl/meson.build b/cogl/meson.build
index 30e241438..585e71697 100644
--- a/cogl/meson.build
+++ b/cogl/meson.build
@@ -87,19 +87,21 @@ if have_gles2
 endif
 
 cogl_debug_c_args = []
-if buildtype.startswith('debug')
+buildtype = get_option('buildtype')
+if get_option('debug')
   cogl_debug_c_args += [
     '-DCOGL_GL_DEBUG',
     '-DCOGL_OBJECT_DEBUG',
     '-DCOGL_ENABLE_DEBUG',
+    '-fno-omit-frame-pointer'
   ]
-elif buildtype == 'release'
+elif buildtype != 'plain'
   cogl_debug_c_args += [
     '-DG_DISABLE_CHECKS',
-    '-DG_DISABLE_CAST_CHECKS',
+    '-DG_DISABLE_CAST_CHECKS'
   ]
 endif
-
+supported_cogl_debug_c_args = cc.get_supported_arguments(cogl_debug_c_args)
 cogl_c_args += cogl_debug_c_args
 
 if have_cogl_tests
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 08b9ba73a..961c47f8b 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -318,12 +318,14 @@ supported_warnings = cc.get_supported_arguments(all_warnings)
 
 add_project_arguments(supported_warnings, language: 'c')
 
-debug_c_args = []
-buildtype = get_option('buildtype')
-if buildtype.startswith('debug')
-  debug_c_args += '-DG_ENABLE_DEBUG'
+if get_option('debug')
+  debug_c_args = [
+    '-DG_ENABLE_DEBUG',
+    '-fno-omit-frame-pointer'
+  ]
+  supported_debug_c_args = cc.get_supported_arguments(debug_c_args)
+  add_project_arguments(supported_debug_c_args, language: 'c')
 endif
-add_project_arguments(debug_c_args, language: 'c')
 
 cc.compiles('void main (void) { __builtin_ffsl (0); __builtin_popcountl (0); }')