diff --git a/linera-service/src/cli_wrappers/docker.rs b/linera-service/src/cli_wrappers/docker.rs
index ff94557c2dff..15de912841d6 100644
--- a/linera-service/src/cli_wrappers/docker.rs
+++ b/linera-service/src/cli_wrappers/docker.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ use linera_base::command::{current_binary_parent, CommandExt};
 use pathdiff::diff_paths;
 use tokio::process::Command;
 
+use crate::cli_wrappers::local_kubernetes_net::BuildMode;
+
 pub struct DockerImage {
     name: String,
 }
@@ -21,7 +23,7 @@ impl DockerImage {
         name: &str,
         binaries: &BuildArg,
         github_root: &PathBuf,
-        build_mode: &str,
+        build_mode: &BuildMode,
     ) -> Result<Self> {
         let build_arg = match binaries {
             BuildArg::Directory(bin_path) => {
@@ -63,16 +65,13 @@ impl DockerImage {
             .args(["--build-arg", &build_arg]);
 
         match build_mode {
-            "release" => {
+            BuildMode::Release => {
                 command.args(["--build-arg", "build_flag=--release"]);
                 command.args(["--build-arg", "build_folder=release"]);
             }
-            "debug" => {
+            BuildMode::Debug => {
                 command.args(["--build-arg", "build_folder=debug"]);
             }
-            _ => {
-                return Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Invalid build mode: {}", build_mode));
-            }
         }
 
         #[cfg(not(with_testing))]
diff --git a/linera-service/src/cli_wrappers/local_kubernetes_net.rs b/linera-service/src/cli_wrappers/local_kubernetes_net.rs
index 0dd6313cd873..c2f15f1ca282 100644
--- a/linera-service/src/cli_wrappers/local_kubernetes_net.rs
+++ b/linera-service/src/cli_wrappers/local_kubernetes_net.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,27 @@ static SHARED_LOCAL_KUBERNETES_TESTING_NET: OnceCell<(
     ClientWrapper,
 )> = OnceCell::const_new();
 
+#[derive(Clone, clap::Parser, clap::ValueEnum, Debug, Default)]
+pub enum BuildMode {
+    Debug,
+    #[default]
+    Release,
+}
+
+impl std::str::FromStr for BuildMode {
+    type Err = String;
+
+    fn from_str(s: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Err> {
+        clap::ValueEnum::from_str(s, true)
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Display for BuildMode {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        write!(f, "{:?}", self)
+    }
+}
+
 /// The information needed to start a [`LocalKubernetesNet`].
 pub struct LocalKubernetesNetConfig {
     pub network: Network,
@@ -48,7 +69,7 @@ pub struct LocalKubernetesNetConfig {
     pub binaries: BuildArg,
     pub no_build: bool,
     pub docker_image_name: String,
-    pub build_mode: String,
+    pub build_mode: BuildMode,
     pub policy_config: ResourceControlPolicyConfig,
 }
 
@@ -67,7 +88,7 @@ pub struct LocalKubernetesNet {
     binaries: BuildArg,
     no_build: bool,
     docker_image_name: String,
-    build_mode: String,
+    build_mode: BuildMode,
     kubectl_instance: Arc<Mutex<KubectlInstance>>,
     kind_clusters: Vec<KindCluster>,
     num_initial_validators: usize,
@@ -104,7 +125,7 @@ impl SharedLocalKubernetesNetTestingConfig {
             binaries,
             no_build: false,
             docker_image_name: String::from("linera:latest"),
-            build_mode: String::from("release"),
+            build_mode: BuildMode::Release,
             policy_config: ResourceControlPolicyConfig::Testnet,
         })
     }
@@ -312,7 +333,7 @@ impl LocalKubernetesNet {
         binaries: BuildArg,
         no_build: bool,
         docker_image_name: String,
-        build_mode: String,
+        build_mode: BuildMode,
         kubectl_instance: KubectlInstance,
         kind_clusters: Vec<KindCluster>,
         num_initial_validators: usize,
diff --git a/linera-service/src/linera/command.rs b/linera-service/src/linera/command.rs
index cfbeb5dc980e..096faaee57f2 100644
--- a/linera-service/src/linera/command.rs
+++ b/linera-service/src/linera/command.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ use linera_client::{
     util,
 };
 use linera_rpc::config::CrossChainConfig;
+#[cfg(feature = "kubernetes")]
+use linera_service::cli_wrappers::local_kubernetes_net::BuildMode;
 use linera_service::util::{
     DEFAULT_PAUSE_AFTER_GQL_MUTATIONS_SECS, DEFAULT_PAUSE_AFTER_LINERA_SERVICE_SECS,
 };
@@ -921,7 +923,7 @@ pub enum NetCommand {
         /// The build mode to use.
         #[cfg(feature = "kubernetes")]
         #[arg(long, default_value = "release")]
-        build_mode: String,
+        build_mode: BuildMode,
 
         /// Run with a specific path where the wallet and validator input files are.
         /// If none, then a temporary directory is created.
diff --git a/linera-service/src/linera/net_up_utils.rs b/linera-service/src/linera/net_up_utils.rs
index 9c70514d352b..732e16998a7c 100644
--- a/linera-service/src/linera/net_up_utils.rs
+++ b/linera-service/src/linera/net_up_utils.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ use tokio_util::sync::CancellationToken;
 use tracing::info;
 #[cfg(feature = "kubernetes")]
 use {
-    linera_service::cli_wrappers::local_kubernetes_net::LocalKubernetesNetConfig,
+    linera_service::cli_wrappers::local_kubernetes_net::{BuildMode, LocalKubernetesNetConfig},
     std::path::PathBuf,
 };
 
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ pub async fn handle_net_up_kubernetes(
     binaries: &Option<Option<PathBuf>>,
     no_build: bool,
     docker_image_name: String,
-    build_mode: String,
+    build_mode: BuildMode,
     policy_config: ResourceControlPolicyConfig,
     with_faucet: bool,
     faucet_chain: Option<u32>,