diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/mesonninja.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/mesonninja.py
index 03b4f2c86d..e9d5aa66f5 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/mesonninja.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/mesonninja.py
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ def configure_step(self, cmd_prefix=''):
         build_dir = self.cfg.get('build_dir') or self.start_dir
 
         cmd = ("%(preconfigopts)s %(configure_cmd)s --prefix %(installdir)s --buildtype %(buildtype)s %(configopts)s "
-               "--optimization %(optimization)s %(debug)s %(source_dir)s") % {
+               "--optimization %(optimization)s %(debug)s %(source_dir)s %(ndebug)s") % {
             'configopts': self.cfg['configopts'],
             'configure_cmd': configure_cmd,
             'installdir': self.installdir,
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ def configure_step(self, cmd_prefix=''):
             'buildtype': self.build_type,
             'optimization': self.optimization,
             'debug': '--debug' if self.toolchain.options.get('debug', False) else '',
+            'ndebug': '-Db_ndebug=true' if self.toolchain.options.get('noopt', None) else '',
         }
         res = run_shell_cmd(cmd)
         return res.output
@@ -144,7 +145,7 @@ def build_step(self, verbose=False, path=None):
         if self.cfg['parallel']:
             parallel = "-j %s" % self.cfg['parallel']
 
-        cmd = "%(prebuildopts)s %(build_cmd)s %(parallel)s %(buildopts)s" % {
+        cmd = "%(prebuildopts)s %(build_cmd)s -v %(parallel)s %(buildopts)s" % {
             'buildopts': self.cfg['buildopts'],
             'build_cmd': build_cmd,
             'parallel': parallel,