diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 34598a0..d75c71f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -74,10 +74,17 @@ CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -DG_DISABLE_DEPRECATED -DGTK_DISABLE_DEPRECATED -DGDK_DISABL
 CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -DGDK_MULTIHEAD_SAFE -DGTK_MULTIHEAD_SAFE"
 CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -DGSEAL_ENABLE"
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(strict, AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-strict],
+							[Disable strict compilation options]), enable_strict=$enableval)
+if test x$enable_strict != xno; then
+	if test "$GCC" = "yes"; then
+		WARNINGFLAGS_CPP="$WARNINGFLAGS_CPP -Werror"
+	fi
+fi
+
 if test "$GCC" = "yes"; then
 	# work both in C and C++
 	WARNINGFLAGS_CPP="$WARNINGFLAGS_CPP -Wall"
-	WARNINGFLAGS_CPP="$WARNINGFLAGS_CPP -Werror"
 	WARNINGFLAGS_CPP="$WARNINGFLAGS_CPP -Wcast-align -Wno-uninitialized"
 	WARNINGFLAGS_CPP="$WARNINGFLAGS_CPP -Wmissing-declarations"
 	WARNINGFLAGS_CPP="$WARNINGFLAGS_CPP -Wredundant-decls"