diff --git a/cmake/bdb_CMakeLists.txt.in b/cmake/bdb_CMakeLists.txt.in
index 57acc95a1175e1eee677169d5c9f10d6f5cd1843..651a657c0db2422e690deb1436160320b3ea7d47 100644
--- a/cmake/bdb_CMakeLists.txt.in
+++ b/cmake/bdb_CMakeLists.txt.in
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ ExternalProject_Add(bdb
         SOURCE_DIR "${CMAKE_CONTRIB_DIR}/bdb"
         BINARY_DIR "${CMAKE_CONTRIB_DIR}/bdb"
         #BUILD_IN_SOURCE TRUE
-        CONFIGURE_COMMAND "./dist/configure"
+        CONFIGURE_COMMAND COMMAND ./dist/configure --enable-debug
         BUILD_COMMAND "$(MAKE)"
         INSTALL_COMMAND ""
         TEST_COMMAND ""