diff --git a/src/plugins/qmakeandroidsupport/qmakeandroidbuildapkstep.cpp b/src/plugins/qmakeandroidsupport/qmakeandroidbuildapkstep.cpp
index 62bd44a2c88df341990d22bf7aa40622a8cad7c1..44158c3c93a96fe5f1ba33a859e053215d9283fb 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmakeandroidsupport/qmakeandroidbuildapkstep.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmakeandroidsupport/qmakeandroidbuildapkstep.cpp
@@ -233,6 +233,9 @@ bool QmakeAndroidBuildApkStep::init()
     if (m_verbose)
         arguments << QLatin1String("--verbose");
 
+    if (buildConfiguration()->buildType() == ProjectExplorer::BuildConfiguration::Release)
+        arguments << QLatin1String("--release");
+
     if (m_signPackage) {
         arguments << QLatin1String("--sign")
                   << m_keystorePath.toString()