diff --git a/.travis.sh b/.travis.sh
index 14eb9f455..b27ec81b0 100755
--- a/.travis.sh
+++ b/.travis.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function build_and_test ()
   fi
 
   cmake $SOURCE_DIR \
-      -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
+      -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE \
       -DGTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=$GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS \
       -DGTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE=$GTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE \
       -DGTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=$GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS \
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 9d88f93ae..ac59b5ad9 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -38,27 +38,27 @@ jobs:
   - stage: compile
     os: osx
     compiler: gcc
-    env: GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=OFF GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=OFF
+    env: GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=OFF GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=ON
 # on Mac, CLANG
   - stage: compile
     os: osx
     compiler: clang
-    env: GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=OFF GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=OFF
+    env: GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=OFF GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=ON
 # on Linux, GCC
   - stage: compile
     os: linux
     compiler: gcc
-    env: GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=OFF GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=OFF
+    env: GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=OFF GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=ON
 # on Linux, CLANG
   - stage: compile
     os: linux
     compiler: clang
-    env: GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=OFF GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=OFF
+    env: GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=OFF GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=ON
 # on Linux, with deprecated ON to make sure that path still compiles
   - stage: compile
     os: linux
     compiler: clang
-    env: GTSAM_ALLOW_DEPRECATED_SINCE_V4=ON GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=OFF GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=OFF
+    env: GTSAM_ALLOW_DEPRECATED_SINCE_V4=ON GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=OFF GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=ON
 
 # Matrix configuration:
 os:
@@ -73,9 +73,11 @@ env:
     - CCACHE_SLOPPINESS=pch_defines,time_macros
     - GTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE=ON
     - GTSAM_ALLOW_DEPRECATED_SINCE_V4=OFF
+    - GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=OFF
+    - GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=ON
   matrix:
-    - GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=OFF GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=ON
-    - GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=ON GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=OFF
+    - CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
+    - CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=release
 
 # Uncomment this if you want to exclude clang on linux
 # matrix: