diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 3be8cf89..e52e982a 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE AND NOT CMAKE_CONFIGURATION_TYPES)
   message(STATUS "Setting tests build type to MinSizeRel as none was specified")
-  set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE MinSizeRel CACHE STRING "Choose the type of build" FORCE)
+  set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE MinSizeRel CACHE STRING "Choose the type of build." FORCE)
+  set_property(CACHE CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE PROPERTY STRINGS "Debug" "Release"
+    "MinSizeRel" "RelWithDebInfo")
 endif()
 
 set(PYBIND11_TEST_FILES