diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 7f3f604b4..d50e29dff 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -15,7 +15,11 @@ else()
 endif()
 
 if(NOT MSVC)
-    set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "-Wall -Werror -g -Wextra -Wshadow -pedantic ${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}")
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "-Wall -g -Wextra -Wshadow -pedantic ${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}")
+    option(DONT_INJECT_WERROR "Don't inject '-Werror' into the C++ compiler flags" OFF)
+    if(NOT DONT_INJECT_WERROR)
+        set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "-Werror ${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}")
+    endif(NOT DONT_INJECT_WERROR)
     if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3.1)
         set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "-std=c++11 ${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}")
     else()