diff --git a/pants-plugins/cargo-porcelain/pants_cargo_porcelain/goals/package.py b/pants-plugins/cargo-porcelain/pants_cargo_porcelain/goals/package.py
index b2785d8..acd20a4 100644
--- a/pants-plugins/cargo-porcelain/pants_cargo_porcelain/goals/package.py
+++ b/pants-plugins/cargo-porcelain/pants_cargo_porcelain/goals/package.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 from pants.util.logging import LogLevel
 
 from pants_cargo_porcelain.internal.build import CargoBinary, CargoBinaryRequest
+from pants_cargo_porcelain.subsystems import RustSubsystem
 from pants_cargo_porcelain.target_types import CargoBinaryNameField, CargoPackageSourcesField
 
 
@@ -33,16 +34,25 @@ class CargoBinaryFieldSet(PackageFieldSet, RunFieldSet):
 
 
 @rule(desc="Package Cargo binary", level=LogLevel.DEBUG)
-async def package_cargo_binary(field_set: CargoBinaryFieldSet) -> BuiltPackage:
+async def package_cargo_binary(
+    field_set: CargoBinaryFieldSet,
+    rust: RustSubsystem,
+) -> BuiltPackage:
     output_filename = PurePath(field_set.output_path.value_or_default(file_ending=None))
     binary = await Get(
         CargoBinary,
         CargoBinaryRequest(field_set.address, field_set.sources, field_set.binary_name.value),
     )
 
+    build_level = "debug"
+    if rust.release:
+        build_level = "release"
+
     removed_prefix = await Get(
         Digest,
-        RemovePrefix(binary.digest, f".cargo-target-cache/{field_set.address.spec_path}/debug"),
+        RemovePrefix(
+            binary.digest, f".cargo-target-cache/{field_set.address.spec_path}/{build_level}"
+        ),
     )
 
     renamed_output_digest = await Get(
diff --git a/pants-plugins/cargo-porcelain/pants_cargo_porcelain/internal/build.py b/pants-plugins/cargo-porcelain/pants_cargo_porcelain/internal/build.py
index 78307f4..b69e252 100644
--- a/pants-plugins/cargo-porcelain/pants_cargo_porcelain/internal/build.py
+++ b/pants-plugins/cargo-porcelain/pants_cargo_porcelain/internal/build.py
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@ def platform_to_target(platform: Platform):
 
 @rule
 async def build_cargo_binary(
-    req: CargoBinaryRequest, rust: RustSubsystem, rustup: RustupTool, platform: Platform
+    req: CargoBinaryRequest,
+    rust: RustSubsystem,
+    rustup: RustupTool,
+    platform: Platform,
 ) -> CargoBinary:
     source_files, toolchain = await MultiGet(
         Get(
@@ -58,18 +61,27 @@ async def build_cargo_binary(
         ),
     )
 
+    extra_args = []
+    if rust.release:
+        extra_args.append("--release")
+
+    build_level = "debug"
+    if rust.release:
+        build_level = "release"
+
     process_result = await Get(
         ProcessResult,
         CargoProcessRequest(
             toolchain,
             (
                 "build",
+                *extra_args,
                 f"--manifest-path={req.address.spec_path}/Cargo.toml",
                 "--locked",
                 f"--bin={req.binary_name}",
             ),
             source_files.snapshot.digest,
-            output_files=(f"{{cache_path}}/debug/{req.binary_name}",),
+            output_files=(f"{{cache_path}}/{build_level}/{req.binary_name}",),
             cache_path=req.address.spec_path,
         ),
     )
diff --git a/pants-plugins/cargo-porcelain/pants_cargo_porcelain/subsystems.py b/pants-plugins/cargo-porcelain/pants_cargo_porcelain/subsystems.py
index 5816703..fbe3639 100644
--- a/pants-plugins/cargo-porcelain/pants_cargo_porcelain/subsystems.py
+++ b/pants-plugins/cargo-porcelain/pants_cargo_porcelain/subsystems.py
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@ class RustSubsystem(Subsystem):
         advanced=True,
     )
 
+    release = BoolOption(
+        default=False,
+        help=softwrap("""If true, build in release mode."""),
+        advanced=True,
+    )
+
     skip = SkipOption("fmt", "lint")