diff --git a/mesonpy/__init__.py b/mesonpy/__init__.py
index 7325d23f..42dd06a8 100644
--- a/mesonpy/__init__.py
+++ b/mesonpy/__init__.py
@@ -899,13 +899,22 @@ def _run(self, cmd: Sequence[str]) -> None:
 
     def _configure(self, reconfigure: bool = False) -> None:
         """Configure Meson project."""
+        if reconfigure:
+            default_build_options = []
+        else:
+            # default build options, overriding Meson's defaults.
+            # On reconfigure, the values will persist unless the user explicitly
+            # passes new values for them.
+            default_build_options = [
+                '-Dbuildtype=release',
+                '-Db_ndebug=if-release',
+                '-Db_vscrt=md',
+            ]
+
         setup_args = [
             os.fspath(self._source_dir),
             os.fspath(self._build_dir),
-            # default build options
-            '-Dbuildtype=release',
-            '-Db_ndebug=if-release',
-            '-Db_vscrt=md',
+            *default_build_options,
             # user build options
             *self._meson_args['setup'],
             # pass native file last to have it override the python
diff --git a/tests/test_options.py b/tests/test_options.py
index 2d0ed00f..e30ac895 100644
--- a/tests/test_options.py
+++ b/tests/test_options.py
@@ -35,3 +35,23 @@ def test_ndebug(package_purelib_and_platlib, tmp_path, args, expected):
             ['ninja', '-C', os.fspath(project._build_dir), '-t', 'commands', '../plat.c^'],
             stdout=subprocess.PIPE, check=True).stdout
         assert (b'-DNDEBUG' in command) == expected
+
+
+def test_default_options(package_purelib_and_platlib, tmp_path, mocker):
+    meson = mocker.spy(mesonpy.Project, '_run')
+
+    project = mesonpy.Project(package_purelib_and_platlib, tmp_path)
+
+    mesonpy_default_options = {'-Dbuildtype=release', '-Db_ndebug=if-release', '-Db_vscrt=md'}
+    # Check if default options were passed
+    assert mesonpy_default_options.issubset(meson.call_args_list[0][0][1])
+
+    options = {opt['name']: opt['value'] for opt in project._info('intro-buildoptions')}
+
+    # Check if default options have taken effect
+    assert options['buildtype'] == 'release'
+    assert options['b_ndebug'] == 'if-release'
+
+    compilers = project._info('intro-compilers')
+    if compilers['build']['c']['id'] in {'msvc', 'clang-cl', 'intel-cl'}:
+        assert options['b_vscrt'] == 'md'
diff --git a/tests/test_project.py b/tests/test_project.py
index 76267964..870e488d 100644
--- a/tests/test_project.py
+++ b/tests/test_project.py
@@ -332,6 +332,35 @@ def test_invalid_build_dir(package_pure, tmp_path, mocker):
     assert '--reconfigure' not in meson.call_args_list[0].args[1]
     project.build()
 
+def test_reconfigure_preserves_config(package_simple, tmp_path):
+    # initial configuration
+    project = mesonpy.Project(package_simple, tmp_path, meson_args={
+        'setup': ['-Dbuildtype=debug', '-Dwarning_level=2'],
+    })
+
+    initial_options = {opt['name']: opt['value'] for opt in project._info('intro-buildoptions')}
+
+    assert initial_options['buildtype'] == 'debug'
+    assert initial_options['debug'] is True
+    assert initial_options['warning_level'] == '2'
+
+    # reconfiguration with a new option
+    project = mesonpy.Project(package_simple, tmp_path, meson_args={
+        'setup': ['-Doptimization=2'],
+    })
+
+    reconfigure_options = {opt['name']: opt['value'] for opt in project._info('intro-buildoptions')}
+
+    assert reconfigure_options['buildtype'] == 'debug'
+    assert reconfigure_options['debug'] is True
+    assert reconfigure_options['warning_level'] == '2'
+
+    assert initial_options != reconfigure_options
+
+    initial_options['optimization'] = '2'
+    assert initial_options == reconfigure_options
+
+
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(not os.getenv('CI') or sys.platform != 'win32', reason='requires MSVC')
 def test_compiler(venv, package_detect_compiler, tmp_path):