diff --git a/lib/definitions/project.d.ts b/lib/definitions/project.d.ts
index c839ce8ea2..35a26e80eb 100644
--- a/lib/definitions/project.d.ts
+++ b/lib/definitions/project.d.ts
@@ -163,6 +163,12 @@ interface IPlatformProjectService {
 	 * @returns {void}
 	 */
 	ensureConfigurationFileInAppResources(): void;
+
+	/**
+	 * Removes build artifacts specific to the platform
+	 * @returns {void}
+	 */
+	cleanProject(projectRoot: string, options: string[]): IFuture<void>
 }
 
 interface IAndroidProjectPropertiesManager {
diff --git a/lib/services/android-project-service.ts b/lib/services/android-project-service.ts
index e96f8b4f1f..8cff73a657 100644
--- a/lib/services/android-project-service.ts
+++ b/lib/services/android-project-service.ts
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ export class AndroidProjectService extends projectServiceBaseLib.PlatformProject
 		return Future.fromResult();
 	}
 
-	private cleanProject(projectRoot: string, options: string[]): IFuture<void> {
+	public cleanProject(projectRoot: string, options: string[]): IFuture<void> {
 		return (() => {
 			options.unshift("clean");
 
diff --git a/lib/services/ios-project-service.ts b/lib/services/ios-project-service.ts
index 5876d8342f..b433a85e6b 100644
--- a/lib/services/ios-project-service.ts
+++ b/lib/services/ios-project-service.ts
@@ -653,10 +653,15 @@ We will now place an empty obsolete compatability white screen LauncScreen.xib f
 				this.platformData.configurationFileName
 			);
 	}
+
 	public ensureConfigurationFileInAppResources(): void {
 		return null;
 	}
 
+	public cleanProject(projectRoot: string, options: string[]): IFuture<void> {
+		return Future.fromResult();
+	}
+
 	private mergeInfoPlists(): IFuture<void> {
 		return (() => {
 			let projectDir = this.$projectData.projectDir;
diff --git a/lib/services/platform-service.ts b/lib/services/platform-service.ts
index 2ffbabcb41..0978dbcee8 100644
--- a/lib/services/platform-service.ts
+++ b/lib/services/platform-service.ts
@@ -217,6 +217,16 @@ export class PlatformService implements IPlatformService {
 			this.ensurePlatformInstalled(platform).wait();
 			let changesInfo = this.$projectChangesService.checkForChanges(platform);
 			if (changesInfo.hasChanges) {
+				// android build artifacts need to be cleaned up when switching from release to debug builds
+				if (platform.toLowerCase() === "android") {
+					let previousPrepareInfo = this.$projectChangesService.getPrepareInfo(platform);
+					// clean up prepared plugins when not building for release
+					if (previousPrepareInfo && previousPrepareInfo.release !== this.$options.release) {
+						let platformData = this.$platformsData.getPlatformData(platform);
+						platformData.platformProjectService.cleanProject(platformData.projectRoot, []).wait();
+					}
+				}
+
 				this.preparePlatformCore(platform, changesInfo).wait();
 				this.$projectChangesService.savePrepareInfo(platform);
 			} else {
diff --git a/test/stubs.ts b/test/stubs.ts
index 9e40df9377..708904ac2e 100644
--- a/test/stubs.ts
+++ b/test/stubs.ts
@@ -338,6 +338,9 @@ export class PlatformProjectServiceStub implements IPlatformProjectService {
 	ensureConfigurationFileInAppResources(): void {
 		return null;
 	}
+	cleanProject(projectRoot: string, options: string[]): IFuture<void> {
+		return Future.fromResult();
+	}
 }
 
 export class ProjectDataService implements IProjectDataService {