diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index fc2429e7..539af4c2 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -54,7 +54,9 @@ if test "$GCC" = "yes" ; then
 fi
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(gcc-warnings,
-     AS_HELP_STRING(--enable-gcc-warnings, enable verbose warnings with GCC))
+     AS_HELP_STRING(--disable-gcc-warnings, disable verbose warnings with GCC))
+
+
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(thread-support,
      AS_HELP_STRING(--disable-thread-support, disable support for threading),
 	[], [enable_thread_support=yes])
@@ -623,7 +625,7 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(OPENSSL, [test "$enable_openssl" != "no" && test "$have_openssl"
 
 # Add some more warnings which we use in development but not in the
 # released versions.  (Some relevant gcc versions can't handle these.)
-if test x$enable_gcc_warnings = xyes && test "$GCC" = "yes"; then
+if test x$enable_gcc_warnings != xno && test "$GCC" = "yes"; then
 
   AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([], [
 #if !defined(__GNUC__) || (__GNUC__ < 4)
@@ -650,7 +652,11 @@ if test x$enable_gcc_warnings = xyes && test "$GCC" = "yes"; then
 #error
 #endif])], have_clang29orlower=yes, have_clang29orlower=no)
 
-  CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -W -Wfloat-equal -Wundef -Wpointer-arith -Wstrict-prototypes -Wmissing-prototypes -Wwrite-strings -Wredundant-decls -Wchar-subscripts -Wcomment -Wformat -Wwrite-strings -Wmissing-declarations -Wredundant-decls -Wnested-externs -Wbad-function-cast -Wswitch-enum -Werror"
+  CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -W -Wfloat-equal -Wundef -Wpointer-arith -Wstrict-prototypes -Wmissing-prototypes -Wwrite-strings -Wredundant-decls -Wchar-subscripts -Wcomment -Wformat -Wwrite-strings -Wmissing-declarations -Wredundant-decls -Wnested-externs -Wbad-function-cast -Wswitch-enum"
+  if test x$enable_gcc_warnings = xyes; then
+    CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -Werror"
+  fi
+
   CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -Wno-unused-parameter -Wstrict-aliasing"
 
   if test x$have_gcc4 = xyes ; then