diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 470a23b315..3ea957db0c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -35,6 +35,13 @@ set(OPENSPACE_EXT_DIR "${OPENSPACE_BASE_DIR}/ext")
 
 set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH} ${OPENSPACE_EXT_DIR})
 
+# Make sure abuild type is set. Default is Debug.
+if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+	set( CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE Debug CACHE STRING
+       "Choose the type of build, options are: None Debug Release RelWithDebInfo MinSizeRel." 
+	   FORCE )
+endif(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+
 if (APPLE )
     set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -std=c++11 -stdlib=libc++")
 endif ()
diff --git a/ext/FindSGCT.cmake b/ext/FindSGCT.cmake
index 43cb2cfbaf..fdcffd013f 100644
--- a/ext/FindSGCT.cmake
+++ b/ext/FindSGCT.cmake
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 
-
 # Find the library
 if(WIN32)
 
@@ -35,6 +34,7 @@ if(WIN32)
     	"${SGCT_WINDOWS_PATHS}"
 	)
 
+	# Find the sgct library
     set(SGCT_LIBRARY
         "ws2_32.lib"
         optimized "${SGCT_ROOT_DIR}/lib/msvc11_x64/sgct.lib"
@@ -53,12 +53,19 @@ else()
         message(FATAL_ERROR "Could not locate SGCT!")
     endif(NOT SGCT_ROOT_DIR)
 	
+	# OS X has cpp11 support
 	if (APPLE)
 		set(SGCT_NAME "sgct_cpp11")
 	else(APPLE)
 		set(SGCT_NAME "sgct")
 	endif(APPLE)
+
+	# check if debug or release version of sgct should be used
+	if(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE MATCHES DEBUG)
+		set(SGCT_NAME "${SGCT_NAME}d")
+	endif(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE MATCHES DEBUG)
 	
+	# Find the sgct library
 	find_library(SGCT_LIBRARY NAMES ${CMAKE_STATIC_LIBRARY_PREFIX}${SGCT_NAME}${CMAKE_STATIC_LIBRARY_SUFFIX}
                  HINTS "${SGCT_ROOT_DIR}/lib")
 
@@ -109,6 +116,7 @@ include_directories(${SGCT_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 set(SGCT_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES ${SGCT_INCLUDES})
 set(SGCT_LIBRARIES ${SGCT_LIBRARY} ${SGCT_DEPENDENCIES})
 
+
 # handle the QUIETLY and REQUIRED arguments and set SGCT_FOUND to TRUE
 # if all listed variables are TRUE
 find_package_handle_standard_args(SGCT  DEFAULT_MSG
diff --git a/ext/spice b/ext/spice
index 1947309fea..5419d02cf0 160000
--- a/ext/spice
+++ b/ext/spice
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 1947309fea2f2baad3795503fdc8ecbca0575615
+Subproject commit 5419d02cf0918b22dfaa948afc17365d53275c43