diff --git a/tests/test_default_options.py b/tests/test_default_options.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e7898b39a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_default_options.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import os
+import subprocess
+
+import pytest
+
+import mesonpy
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('args', [[], ['-Dbuildtype=release']], ids=['defaults', '-Dbuildtype=release'])
+def test_ndebug(package_scipy_like, tmp_path, args):
+    with mesonpy._project({'setup-args': args}) as project:
+        command = subprocess.run(
+            ['ninja', '-C', os.fspath(project._build_dir), '-t', 'commands', '../../mypkg/extmod.c^'],
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE, check=True).stdout
+        assert b'-DNDEBUG' in command