diff --git a/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py b/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
index dfd792b7d..ef40c4ef4 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
@@ -184,7 +184,9 @@ int dummy;
         self.generate_tests(outfile)
         outfile.write('# Install rules\n\n')
         self.generate_install(outfile)
-        if self.environment.coredata.base_options.get('b_coverage', False):
+        if 'b_coverage' in self.environment.coredata.base_options and\
+            self.environment.coredata.base_options['b_coverage'].value:
+            print(bool(self.environment.coredata.base_options.get('b_coverage', False)))
             outfile.write('# Coverage rules\n\n')
             self.generate_coverage_rules(outfile)
         outfile.write('# Suffix\n\n')
@@ -813,6 +815,7 @@ int dummy;
         outputs = [vapiname]
         args = []
         args += self.build.get_global_args(compiler)
+        args += compiler.get_buildtype_args(self.environment.coredata.get_builtin_option('buildtype'))
         args += ['-d', self.get_target_private_dir(target)]
         args += ['-C']#, '-o', cname]
         if not isinstance(target, build.Executable):
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers.py b/mesonbuild/compilers.py
index fc4498c41..ac5cdf5c8 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers.py
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ base_options = {
                                                   'off'),
                 'b_coverage': coredata.UserBooleanOption('b_coverage',
                                                          'Enable coverage tracking.',
-                                                         True),
+                                                         False),
                 }
 
 def sanitizer_compile_args(value):
@@ -1044,6 +1044,11 @@ class ValaCompiler(Compiler):
         suffix = filename.split('.')[-1]
         return suffix in ('vala', 'vapi')
 
+    def get_buildtype_args(self, buildtype):
+        if buildtype == 'debug' or buildtype == 'debugoptimized':
+            return ['--debug']
+        return []
+
 class RustCompiler(Compiler):
     def __init__(self, exelist, version):
         super().__init__(exelist, version)
diff --git a/mesonbuild/environment.py b/mesonbuild/environment.py
index e8fabc3a6..6d217f217 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/environment.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/environment.py
@@ -251,11 +251,11 @@ class Environment():
         for compiler in compilers:
             for arg in ['--version', '-V']:
                 try:
-                   p = subprocess.Popen([compiler] + [arg],
-                                        stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
-                                        stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+                    p = subprocess.Popen([compiler] + [arg],
+                                         stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                                         stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
                 except OSError:
-                   continue
+                    continue
                 (out, err) = p.communicate()
                 out = out.decode(errors='ignore')
                 err = err.decode(errors='ignore')