diff --git a/mesonbuild/mdist.py b/mesonbuild/mdist.py
index b324f76a8..5ab0ad494 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/mdist.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/mdist.py
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ def check_dist(packagename, meson_command, extra_meson_args, bld_root, privdir):
     unpacked_src_dir = unpacked_files[0]
     with open(os.path.join(bld_root, 'meson-info', 'intro-buildoptions.json')) as boptions:
         meson_command += ['-D{name}={value}'.format(**o) for o in json.load(boptions)
-                          if o['name'] not in ['backend', 'install_umask']]
+                          if o['name'] not in ['backend', 'install_umask', 'buildtype']]
     meson_command += extra_meson_args
 
     ret = run_dist_steps(meson_command, unpacked_src_dir, builddir, installdir, ninja_bin)