diff --git a/platformio/builder/main.py b/platformio/builder/main.py
index 74f6acd3..730af43a 100644
--- a/platformio/builder/main.py
+++ b/platformio/builder/main.py
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ env.Replace(
     PROJECT_DATA_DIR=config.get("platformio", "data_dir"),
     PROJECTDATA_DIR="$PROJECT_DATA_DIR",  # legacy for dev/platform
     PROJECT_BUILD_DIR=config.get("platformio", "build_dir"),
+    BUILD_TYPE=env.GetBuildType(),
     BUILD_CACHE_DIR=config.get("platformio", "build_cache_dir"),
     LIBSOURCE_DIRS=[
         config.get("platformio", "lib_dir"),
diff --git a/platformio/builder/tools/piolib.py b/platformio/builder/tools/piolib.py
index d375347f..c27fb116 100644
--- a/platformio/builder/tools/piolib.py
+++ b/platformio/builder/tools/piolib.py
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ class LibBuilderBase:
         self._processed_search_files = []
 
         # pass a macro to the projenv + libs
-        if "test" in env.GetBuildType():
+        if "test" in env["BUILD_TYPE"]:
             self.env.Append(CPPDEFINES=["PIO_UNIT_TESTING"])
 
         # reset source filter, could be overridden with extra script
@@ -911,7 +911,7 @@ class ProjectAsLibBuilder(LibBuilderBase):
 
     def get_search_files(self):
         items = []
-        build_type = self.env.GetBuildType()
+        build_type = self.env["BUILD_TYPE"]
         # project files
         if "test" not in build_type or self.env.GetProjectOption("test_build_src"):
             items.extend(super().get_search_files())
@@ -1164,7 +1164,7 @@ def ConfigureProjectLibBuilder(env):
 
     project = ProjectAsLibBuilder(env, "$PROJECT_DIR")
 
-    if "test" in env.GetBuildType():
+    if "test" in env["BUILD_TYPE"]:
         project.env.ConfigureTestTarget()
 
     ldf_mode = LibBuilderBase.lib_ldf_mode.fget(project)  # pylint: disable=no-member
diff --git a/platformio/builder/tools/platformio.py b/platformio/builder/tools/platformio.py
index 04b1b1d7..d642a8f7 100644
--- a/platformio/builder/tools/platformio.py
+++ b/platformio/builder/tools/platformio.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ def BuildProgram(env):
         )
     )
 
-    print("Building in %s mode" % env.GetBuildType())
+    print("Building in %s mode" % env["BUILD_TYPE"])
 
     return program
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ def ProcessProgramDeps(env):
     # process framework scripts
     env.BuildFrameworks(env.get("PIOFRAMEWORK"))
 
-    if "debug" in env.GetBuildType():
+    if "debug" in env["BUILD_TYPE"]:
         env.ConfigureDebugTarget()
 
     # remove specified flags
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ def ProcessProjectDeps(env):
         }
     )
 
-    if "test" in env.GetBuildType():
+    if "test" in env["BUILD_TYPE"]:
         build_files_before_nums = len(env.get("PIOBUILDFILES", []))
         plb.env.BuildSources(
             "$BUILD_TEST_DIR", "$PROJECT_TEST_DIR", "$PIOTEST_SRC_FILTER"
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ def ProcessProjectDeps(env):
             )
             env.Exit(1)
 
-    if "test" not in env.GetBuildType() or env.GetProjectOption("test_build_src"):
+    if "test" not in env["BUILD_TYPE"] or env.GetProjectOption("test_build_src"):
         plb.env.BuildSources(
             "$BUILD_SRC_DIR", "$PROJECT_SRC_DIR", env.get("SRC_FILTER")
         )