diff --git a/developers.markdown b/developers.markdown
index 6dee01d..15cf828 100644
--- a/developers.markdown
+++ b/developers.markdown
@@ -211,7 +211,11 @@ their own packages to it! Take a look at
   Separated by commas.
 * ``srcDir`` - Specifies the directory which contains the .nim source files.
   **Default**: The directory in which the .nimble file resides; i.e. root dir of
-  package.
+  the package.
+* ``buildDir`` - Specifies the directory where ``nimble build`` will output
+  binaries.
+  **Default**: The directory in which the .nimble file resides; i.e.
+  root dir of the package.
 * ``bin`` - A list of files which should be built separated by commas with
   no file extension required. This option turns your package into a *binary
   package*, nimble will build the files specified and install them appropriately.
@@ -228,4 +232,5 @@ their own packages to it! Take a look at
   range separated by commas.
   **Example**: ``nim >= 0.10.0, jester``; with this value your package will
   depend on ``nim`` version 0.10.0 or greater and on any version of ``jester``.
-  
+
+
diff --git a/readme.markdown b/readme.markdown
index 4f59a70..ec2c155 100644
--- a/readme.markdown
+++ b/readme.markdown
@@ -158,8 +158,12 @@ Similar to the ``install`` command you can specify a version range, for example:
 ### nimble build
 
 The ``build`` command is mostly used by developers who want to test building
-their ``.nimble`` package. The ``install`` command calls ``build`` implicitly,
-so there is rarely any reason to use this command directly.
+their ``.nimble`` package. This command will build the package in debug mode,
+without installing anything. The ``install`` command will build the package
+in release mode instead.
+
+If you are a developer willing to produce new Nimble packages please read the
+[developers.markdown file](developers.markdown) for detailed information.
 
 ### nimble c
 
diff --git a/src/nimble.nim b/src/nimble.nim
index c1ab7bd..8bdbe05 100644
--- a/src/nimble.nim
+++ b/src/nimble.nim
@@ -457,16 +457,18 @@ proc processDeps(pkginfo: PackageInfo, options: Options): seq[string] =
     addRevDep(options, i, pkginfo)
   saveNimbleData(options)
 
-proc buildFromDir(pkgInfo: PackageInfo, paths: seq[string]) =
+proc buildFromDir(pkgInfo: PackageInfo, paths: seq[string], forRelease: bool) =
   ## Builds a package as specified by ``pkgInfo``.
   let realDir = pkgInfo.getRealDir()
+  let releaseOpt = if forRelease: "-d:release" else: ""
   var args = ""
   for path in paths: args.add("--path:\"" & path & "\" ")
   for bin in pkgInfo.bin:
+    let outputOpt = pkgInfo.getOutputOption(bin)
     echo("Building ", pkginfo.name, "/", bin, " using ", pkgInfo.backend,
          " backend...")
-    doCmd(getNimBin() & " $# -d:release --noBabelPath $# \"$#\"" %
-          [pkgInfo.backend, args, realDir / bin.changeFileExt("nim")])
+    doCmd(getNimBin() & " $# $# --noBabelPath $# $# \"$#\"" %
+          [pkgInfo.backend, releaseOpt, args, outputOpt, realDir / bin.changeFileExt("nim")])
 
 proc saveNimbleMeta(pkgDestDir, url: string, filesInstalled: HashSet[string]) =
   var nimblemeta = %{"url": %url}
@@ -517,7 +519,7 @@ proc installFromDir(dir: string, latest: bool, options: Options,
 
   # Build before removing an existing package (if one exists). This way
   # if the build fails then the old package will still be installed.
-  if pkgInfo.bin.len > 0: buildFromDir(pkgInfo, result.paths)
+  if pkgInfo.bin.len > 0: buildFromDir(pkgInfo, result.paths, true)
 
   let versionStr = (if latest: "" else: '-' & pkgInfo.version)
   let pkgDestDir = pkgsDir / (pkgInfo.name & versionStr)
@@ -661,7 +663,7 @@ proc install(packages: seq[PkgTuple],
 proc build(options: Options) =
   var pkgInfo = getPkgInfo(getCurrentDir())
   let paths = processDeps(pkginfo, options)
-  buildFromDir(pkgInfo, paths)
+  buildFromDir(pkgInfo, paths, false)
 
 proc compile(options: Options) =
   var pkgInfo = getPkgInfo(getCurrentDir())
diff --git a/src/nimblepkg/packageinfo.nim b/src/nimblepkg/packageinfo.nim
index 1f6b990..e218148 100644
--- a/src/nimblepkg/packageinfo.nim
+++ b/src/nimblepkg/packageinfo.nim
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ type
     installExt*: seq[string]
     requires*: seq[PkgTuple]
     bin*: seq[string]
+    buildDir*: string
     srcDir*: string
     backend*: string
 
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ proc initPackageInfo(): PackageInfo =
   result.requires = @[]
   result.bin = @[]
   result.srcDir = ""
+  result.buildDir = ""
   result.backend = "c"
 
 proc validatePackageInfo(pkgInfo: PackageInfo, path: string) =
@@ -141,6 +143,7 @@ proc readPackageInfo*(path: string): PackageInfo =
           of "description": result.description = ev.value
           of "license": result.license = ev.value
           of "srcdir": result.srcDir = ev.value
+          of "builddir": result.buildDir = ev.value
           of "skipdirs":
             result.skipDirs.add(ev.value.multiSplit)
           of "skipfiles":
@@ -326,6 +329,14 @@ proc getRealDir*(pkgInfo: PackageInfo): string =
   else:
     result = pkgInfo.mypath.splitFile.dir
 
+proc getOutputOption*(pkgInfo: TPackageInfo, bin: string): string =
+  ## Returns an output option for the nim compiler if a build directory
+  ## has been set.
+  if pkgInfo.buildDir != "":
+    result = " -o:\"" & pkgInfo.mypath.splitFile.dir / pkgInfo.buildDir / bin & "\""
+  else:
+    result = " -o:\"" & pkgInfo.mypath.splitFile.dir / bin & "\""
+
 proc getNameVersion*(pkgpath: string): tuple[name, version: string] =
   ## Splits ``pkgpath`` in the format ``/home/user/.nimble/pkgs/package-0.1``
   ## into ``(packagea, 0.1)``