diff --git a/.gitlab/pipeline/short-benchmarks.yml b/.gitlab/pipeline/short-benchmarks.yml
index 5b0ea276773d..5bfe4b729e62 100644
--- a/.gitlab/pipeline/short-benchmarks.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/pipeline/short-benchmarks.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ short-benchmark-westend: &short-bench
       artifacts: true
   variables:
     RUNTIME: westend
+    # Enable debug assertions since we are running optimized builds for testing
+    # but still want to have debug assertions.
+    RUSTFLAGS: "-C debug-assertions -D warnings"
+    RUST_BACKTRACE: "full"
+    WASM_BUILD_NO_COLOR: 1
+    WASM_BUILD_RUSTFLAGS: "-C debug-assertions -D warnings"
   tags:
     - benchmark
   script:
@@ -32,6 +38,12 @@ short-benchmark-westend: &short-bench
       artifacts: true
   variables:
     RUNTIME_CHAIN: benchmarked-runtime-chain
+    # Enable debug assertions since we are running optimized builds for testing
+    # but still want to have debug assertions.
+    RUSTFLAGS: "-C debug-assertions -D warnings"
+    RUST_BACKTRACE: "full"
+    WASM_BUILD_NO_COLOR: 1
+    WASM_BUILD_RUSTFLAGS: "-C debug-assertions -D warnings"
   tags:
     - benchmark
   script: