diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index ef161257e..e0722cb01 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -119,12 +119,15 @@ CMAKE_DEPENDENT_OPTION (WSJT_QDEBUG_IN_RELEASE "Leave Qt debugging statements in
 CMAKE_DEPENDENT_OPTION (WSJT_ENABLE_EXPERIMENTAL_FEATURES "Enable features not fully ready for public releases." ON
   "is_debug_build" OFF)
 CMAKE_DEPENDENT_OPTION (WSJT_CREATE_WINMAIN
-  "The wsjtx target is normally built as GUI executable with a WinMain entry point on Windows,
-if you want a console application instead then set this option to OFF.
+  "The wsjtx target is normally built as GUI executable with a WinMain
+entry point on Windows, if you want a console application instead then
+set this option to OFF.
 
-If you just want to see the debug output from the application then the easiest way is to
-attach a debugger which will then receive the console output inside its console." ON
-  "is_debug_build;WIN32" ON)
+If you just want to see the debug output from the application then the
+easiest  way is  to  attach a  debugger which  will  then receive  the
+console output inside its console. This  option is  off by default for
+Debug  configuration builds  anyway." ON
+  "NOT is_debug_build;WIN32" OFF)
 
 #
 # decide if we are bundling kvasd (non-FOSS)
diff --git a/mainwindow.cpp b/mainwindow.cpp
index f4160eb44..726f28e5f 100644
--- a/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -407,8 +407,11 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(bool multiple, QSettings * settings, QSharedMemory *shdme
   QStringList jt9_args {
     "-s", QApplication::applicationName () // shared memory key,
                                            // includes rig-name
-
-      , "-w", "2"               //FFTW patience
+#ifdef NDEBUG
+      , "-w", "2"               //FFTW patience - release
+#else
+      , "-w", "1"               //FFTW patience - debug builds for speed
+#endif
 
       // The number  of threads for  FFTW specified here is  chosen as
       // three because  that gives  the best  throughput of  the large