diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 1f933a729..551c970b3 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1665,6 +1665,17 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(optimization,
                       CFLAGS=`echo $CFLAGS | sed s/-O[[1-9]]\ /-O0\ /g`
                    fi])
 
+#
+# Add -Werror to CFLAGS.  This hack can be used to avoid problems with
+# misbehaving autoconf tests in case the user supplied -Werror.
+#
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(werror,
+   AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-werror],
+                  [append -Werror to CFLAGS]),
+                  [if test $enableval = yes ; then
+                      CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -Werror"
+                   fi])
+
 #
 # Configure option --enable-all-tests
 #