diff --git a/test/E2ETests/Common/Helpers.cs b/test/E2ETests/Common/Helpers.cs
index ca480a8c61..0481550d24 100644
--- a/test/E2ETests/Common/Helpers.cs
+++ b/test/E2ETests/Common/Helpers.cs
@@ -40,5 +40,16 @@ namespace E2ETests
                 File.WriteAllText(overrideConfig, "{\"UseInMemoryDatabase\": \"true\"}");
             }
         }
+
+        public static string GetCurrentBuildConfiguration()
+        {
+            var configuration = "Debug";
+            if (string.Equals(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("Configuration"), "Release", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+            {
+                configuration = "Release";
+            }
+
+            return configuration;
+        }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/E2ETests/NtlmAuthentationTest.cs b/test/E2ETests/NtlmAuthentationTest.cs
index 59939b6265..1c0db6b424 100644
--- a/test/E2ETests/NtlmAuthentationTest.cs
+++ b/test/E2ETests/NtlmAuthentationTest.cs
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ namespace E2ETests
                 {
                     PublishApplicationBeforeDeployment = true,
                     TargetFramework = runtimeFlavor == RuntimeFlavor.Clr ? "net451" : "netcoreapp1.0",
+                    Configuration = Helpers.GetCurrentBuildConfiguration(),
                     ApplicationType = applicationType,
                     ApplicationBaseUriHint = applicationBaseUrl,
                     EnvironmentName = "NtlmAuthentication", //Will pick the Start class named 'StartupNtlmAuthentication'
diff --git a/test/E2ETests/OpenIdConnectTests.cs b/test/E2ETests/OpenIdConnectTests.cs
index 1972201419..dc7bf573d5 100644
--- a/test/E2ETests/OpenIdConnectTests.cs
+++ b/test/E2ETests/OpenIdConnectTests.cs
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ namespace E2ETests
                 {
                     PublishApplicationBeforeDeployment = true,
                     TargetFramework = runtimeFlavor == RuntimeFlavor.Clr ? "net451" : "netcoreapp1.0",
+                    Configuration = Helpers.GetCurrentBuildConfiguration(),
                     ApplicationType = applicationType,
                     ApplicationBaseUriHint = applicationBaseUrl,
                     EnvironmentName = "OpenIdConnectTesting",
diff --git a/test/E2ETests/PublishAndRunTests.cs b/test/E2ETests/PublishAndRunTests.cs
index 19c95a5732..f25cdd2074 100644
--- a/test/E2ETests/PublishAndRunTests.cs
+++ b/test/E2ETests/PublishAndRunTests.cs
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ namespace E2ETests
                     ApplicationBaseUriHint = applicationBaseUrl,
                     PublishApplicationBeforeDeployment = true,
                     TargetFramework = runtimeFlavor == RuntimeFlavor.Clr ? "net451" : "netcoreapp1.0",
+                    Configuration = Helpers.GetCurrentBuildConfiguration(),
                     ApplicationType = applicationType,
                     UserAdditionalCleanup = parameters =>
                     {
diff --git a/test/E2ETests/SmokeTests.cs b/test/E2ETests/SmokeTests.cs
index bbec457924..b47d71722c 100644
--- a/test/E2ETests/SmokeTests.cs
+++ b/test/E2ETests/SmokeTests.cs
@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ namespace E2ETests
                     SiteName = "MusicStoreTestSite",
                     PublishApplicationBeforeDeployment = true,
                     TargetFramework = runtimeFlavor == RuntimeFlavor.Clr ? "net451" : "netcoreapp1.0",
+                    Configuration = Helpers.GetCurrentBuildConfiguration(),
                     ApplicationType = applicationType,
                     UserAdditionalCleanup = parameters =>
                     {