diff --git a/lib/definitions/project.d.ts b/lib/definitions/project.d.ts
index f178dd9eb3..8d22af3047 100644
--- a/lib/definitions/project.d.ts
+++ b/lib/definitions/project.d.ts
@@ -215,6 +215,12 @@ interface IPlatformProjectService {
 	 * @returns {void}
 	 */
 	stopServices(): Promise<ISpawnResult>;
+
+	/**
+	 * Removes build artifacts specific to the platform
+	 * @returns {void}
+	 */
+	cleanProject(projectRoot: string, options: string[]): Promise<void>
 }
 
 interface IAndroidProjectPropertiesManager {
diff --git a/lib/services/android-project-service.ts b/lib/services/android-project-service.ts
index 209518af5c..73021e62ba 100644
--- a/lib/services/android-project-service.ts
+++ b/lib/services/android-project-service.ts
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ export class AndroidProjectService extends projectServiceBaseLib.PlatformProject
 		return this.$childProcess.spawnFromEvent(gradleBin, ["--stop", "--quiet"], "close", { stdio: "inherit", cwd: projectRoot });
 	}
 
-	private async cleanProject(projectRoot: string, options: string[]): Promise<void> {
+	public async cleanProject(projectRoot: string, options: string[]): Promise<void> {
 		options.unshift("clean");
 
 		let gradleBin = path.join(projectRoot, "gradlew");
diff --git a/lib/services/ios-project-service.ts b/lib/services/ios-project-service.ts
index db2fb9e794..71eb1b6f39 100644
--- a/lib/services/ios-project-service.ts
+++ b/lib/services/ios-project-service.ts
@@ -636,6 +636,10 @@ We will now place an empty obsolete compatability white screen LauncScreen.xib f
 		return Promise.resolve({stderr: "", stdout: "", exitCode: 0});
 	}
 
+	public async cleanProject(projectRoot: string, options: string[]): Promise<void> {
+		return Promise.resolve();
+	}
+
 	private async mergeInfoPlists(): Promise<void> {
 		let projectDir = this.$projectData.projectDir;
 		let infoPlistPath = this.$options.baseConfig || path.join(projectDir, constants.APP_FOLDER_NAME, constants.APP_RESOURCES_FOLDER_NAME, this.platformData.normalizedPlatformName, this.platformData.configurationFileName);
diff --git a/lib/services/platform-service.ts b/lib/services/platform-service.ts
index 9e1d8bdefe..9c55849558 100644
--- a/lib/services/platform-service.ts
+++ b/lib/services/platform-service.ts
@@ -216,6 +216,16 @@ export class PlatformService implements IPlatformService {
 		this.$logger.trace("Changes info in prepare platform:", changesInfo);
 
 		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.$platformsData.getPlatformData(platform);
+					await platformData.platformProjectService.cleanProject(platformData.projectRoot, []);
+				}
+			}
+
 			await this.preparePlatformCore(platform, changesInfo);
 			this.$projectChangesService.savePrepareInfo(platform);
 		} else {
diff --git a/test/stubs.ts b/test/stubs.ts
index 9a7fd1a850..711064100b 100644
--- a/test/stubs.ts
+++ b/test/stubs.ts
@@ -345,6 +345,9 @@ export class PlatformProjectServiceStub implements IPlatformProjectService {
 	async stopServices(): Promise<ISpawnResult> {
 		return Promise.resolve({stderr: "", stdout: "", exitCode: 0});
 	}
+	async cleanProject(projectRoot: string, options: string[]): Promise<void> {
+		return Promise.resolve();
+	}
 }
 
 export class ProjectDataService implements IProjectDataService {