diff --git a/src/commands/contract/compile.ts b/src/commands/contract/compile.ts
index 56129c01..9d62c152 100644
--- a/src/commands/contract/compile.ts
+++ b/src/commands/contract/compile.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { spawn } from "node:child_process";
 import { pathExists } from "fs-extra/esm";
 import { SwankyCommand } from "../../lib/swankyCommand.js";
 import { ConfigError, InputError, ProcessError } from "../../lib/errors.js";
+import { BuildMode } from "../../index.js";
 
 export class CompileContract extends SwankyCommand<typeof CompileContract> {
   static description = "Compile the smart contract(s) in your contracts directory";
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ export class CompileContract extends SwankyCommand<typeof CompileContract> {
         throw new InputError(`Contract folder not found at expected path`);
       }
 
+      let buildMode = BuildMode.Debug;
       const compilationResult = await spinner.runCommand(
         async () => {
           return new Promise<string>((resolve, reject) => {
@@ -73,9 +75,11 @@ export class CompileContract extends SwankyCommand<typeof CompileContract> {
               `contracts/${contractName}/Cargo.toml`,
             ];
             if (flags.release && !flags.verifiable) {
+              buildMode = BuildMode.Release;
               compileArgs.push("--release");
             }
             if (flags.verifiable) {
+              buildMode = BuildMode.Verifiable;
               const cargoContractVersion = extractCargoContractVersion();
               if (cargoContractVersion === null)
                 throw new InputError(
@@ -135,6 +139,7 @@ export class CompileContract extends SwankyCommand<typeof CompileContract> {
       this.swankyConfig.contracts[contractName].build = {
         timestamp: Date.now(),
         artifactsPath,
+        buildMode,
         isVerified: false,
       };
 
diff --git a/src/commands/contract/deploy.ts b/src/commands/contract/deploy.ts
index a0b2ca0a..ac3489b4 100644
--- a/src/commands/contract/deploy.ts
+++ b/src/commands/contract/deploy.ts
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@ import { Args, Flags } from "@oclif/core";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { writeJSON } from "fs-extra/esm";
 import { cryptoWaitReady } from "@polkadot/util-crypto/crypto";
-import { resolveNetworkUrl, ChainApi, ChainAccount, decrypt, AbiType } from "../../lib/index.js";
-import { Encrypted } from "../../types/index.js";
+import { AbiType, ChainAccount, ChainApi, decrypt, resolveNetworkUrl } from "../../lib/index.js";
+import { BuildMode, Encrypted } from "../../types/index.js";
 import inquirer from "inquirer";
 import chalk from "chalk";
 import { Contract } from "../../lib/contract.js";
 import { SwankyCommand } from "../../lib/swankyCommand.js";
-import { ApiError, ConfigError, FileError } from "../../lib/errors.js";
+import { ApiError, ConfigError, FileError, ProcessError } from "../../lib/errors.js";
 
 export class DeployContract extends SwankyCommand<typeof DeployContract> {
   static description = "Deploy contract to a running node";
@@ -70,6 +70,33 @@ export class DeployContract extends SwankyCommand<typeof DeployContract> {
       );
     }
 
+    if (contract.buildMode === undefined) {
+      throw new ProcessError(
+        `Build mode is undefined for contract ${args.contractName}. Please ensure the contract is correctly compiled.`
+      );
+    } else if (contract.buildMode !== BuildMode.Verifiable) {
+      await inquirer
+        .prompt([
+          {
+            type: "confirm",
+            message: `You are deploying a not verified contract in ${
+              contract.buildMode === BuildMode.Release ? "release" : "debug"
+            } mode. Are you sure you want to continue?`,
+            name: "confirm",
+          },
+        ])
+        .then((answers) => {
+          if (!answers.confirm) {
+            this.log(
+              `${chalk.redBright("✖")} Aborted deployment of ${chalk.yellowBright(
+                args.contractName
+              )}`
+            );
+            process.exit(0);
+          }
+        });
+    }
+
     const accountData = this.findAccountByAlias(flags.account);
     const mnemonic = accountData.isDev
       ? (accountData.mnemonic as string)
diff --git a/src/commands/init/index.ts b/src/commands/init/index.ts
index 21712eba..b38239d5 100644
--- a/src/commands/init/index.ts
+++ b/src/commands/init/index.ts
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ async function detectModuleNames(copyList: CopyCandidates): Promise<CopyCandidat
         entry.dirent.isDirectory() &&
         (await pathExists(path.resolve(entry.path, "Cargo.toml")))
       ) {
-        const fileData = await readFile(path.resolve(entry.path, "Cargo.toml"), "utf-8");
+        const fileData = await readFile(path.resolve(entry.path, "Cargo.toml"), "utf8");
         const toml: any = TOML.parse(fileData);
         if (toml.package?.name) {
           extendedEntry.moduleName = toml.package.name;
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ async function detectTests(pathToExistingProject: string): Promise<string | unde
 async function readRootCargoToml(pathToProject: string) {
   const rootTomlPath = path.resolve(pathToProject, "Cargo.toml");
   if (!(await pathExists(rootTomlPath))) return null;
-  const fileData = await readFile(rootTomlPath, "utf-8");
+  const fileData = await readFile(rootTomlPath, "utf8");
   const toml: any = TOML.parse(fileData);
 
   if (!toml.workspace) toml.workspace = {};
diff --git a/src/lib/contract.ts b/src/lib/contract.ts
index 7d9d85ab..747bf48f 100644
--- a/src/lib/contract.ts
+++ b/src/lib/contract.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { AbiType, consts, printContractInfo } from "./index.js";
-import { ContractData, DeploymentData } from "../types/index.js";
+import { BuildMode, ContractData, DeploymentData } from "../types/index.js";
 import { pathExists, readJSON } from "fs-extra/esm";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { FileError } from "./errors.js";
@@ -11,58 +11,52 @@ export class Contract {
   deployments: DeploymentData[];
   contractPath: string;
   artifactsPath: string;
+  buildMode?: BuildMode;
+
   constructor(contractRecord: ContractData) {
     this.name = contractRecord.name;
     this.moduleName = contractRecord.moduleName;
     this.deployments = contractRecord.deployments;
     this.contractPath = path.resolve("contracts", contractRecord.name);
     this.artifactsPath = path.resolve(consts.ARTIFACTS_PATH, contractRecord.name);
+    this.buildMode = contractRecord.build?.buildMode;
   }
 
   async pathExists() {
     return pathExists(this.contractPath);
   }
 
-  async artifactsExist() {
-    const result: { result: boolean; missingPaths: string[]; missingTypes: string[] } = {
-      result: true,
-      missingPaths: [],
-      missingTypes: [],
-    };
+
+  async artifactsExist(): Promise<{ result: boolean; missingPaths: string[] }> {
+    const missingPaths: string[] = [];
+    let result = true;
+
     for (const artifactType of Contract.artifactTypes) {
       const artifactPath = path.resolve(this.artifactsPath, `${this.moduleName}${artifactType}`);
-
       if (!(await pathExists(artifactPath))) {
-        result.result = false;
-        result.missingPaths.push(artifactPath);
-        result.missingTypes.push(artifactType);
+        result = false;
+        missingPaths.push(artifactPath);
       }
     }
-    return result;
+
+    return { result, missingPaths };
   }
 
   async getABI(): Promise<AbiType> {
-    const check = await this.artifactsExist();
-    if (!check.result && check.missingTypes.includes(".json")) {
-      throw new FileError(`Cannot read ABI, path not found: ${check.missingPaths.toString()}`);
-    }
-    return readJSON(path.resolve(this.artifactsPath, `${this.moduleName}.json`));
+    const jsonArtifactPath = `${this.moduleName}.json`;
+    await this.ensureArtifactExists(jsonArtifactPath);
+    return readJSON(path.resolve(this.artifactsPath, jsonArtifactPath));
   }
 
   async getBundle() {
-    const check = await this.artifactsExist();
-    if (!check.result && check.missingTypes.includes(".contract")) {
-      throw new FileError(
-        `Cannot read .contract bundle, path not found: ${check.missingPaths.toString()}`
-      );
-    }
-    return readJSON(path.resolve(this.artifactsPath, `${this.moduleName}.contract`), 'utf-8');
+    const contractArtifactPath = `${this.moduleName}.contract`;
+    await this.ensureArtifactExists(contractArtifactPath);
+    return readJSON(path.resolve(this.artifactsPath, contractArtifactPath), 'utf8');
   }
 
   async getWasm(): Promise<Buffer> {
     const bundle = await this.getBundle();
     if (bundle.source?.wasm) return bundle.source.wasm;
-
     throw new FileError(`Cannot find wasm field in the .contract bundle!`);
   }
 
@@ -70,4 +64,11 @@ export class Contract {
     const abi = await this.getABI();
     printContractInfo(abi);
   }
+
+  private async ensureArtifactExists(artifactFileName: string): Promise<void> {
+    const artifactPath = path.resolve(this.artifactsPath, artifactFileName);
+    if (!(await pathExists(artifactPath))) {
+      throw new FileError(`Artifact file not found at path: ${artifactPath}`);
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/types/index.ts b/src/types/index.ts
index 542a1d7f..1c7056f3 100644
--- a/src/types/index.ts
+++ b/src/types/index.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export interface ContractData {
 export interface BuildData {
   timestamp: number;
   artifactsPath: string;
+  buildMode: BuildMode;
   isVerified: boolean;
 }
 
@@ -51,5 +52,11 @@ export interface SwankyConfig {
   networks: Record<string, {url: string}>
 }
 
+export enum BuildMode {
+  Debug = "Debug",
+  Release = "Release",
+  Verifiable = "Verifiable",
+}
+
 export type SupportedPlatforms = "darwin" | "linux";
 export type SupportedArch = "arm64" | "x64";