diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 8b9f1b91c..69d3c6e08 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -13,6 +13,16 @@ AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([wrap/wrap.cpp])
 AC_CANONICAL_HOST    # needs to be called at some point earlier
 AM_CONDITIONAL([DARWIN], [case $host_os in darwin*) true;; *) false;; esac]) 
 
+# enable debug variable
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([debug],
+     [  --enable-debug    Turn on debugging],
+     [case "${enableval}" in
+       yes) debug=true ;;
+       no)  debug=false ;;
+       *) AC_MSG_ERROR([bad value ${enableval} for --enable-debug]) ;;
+     esac],[debug=false])
+     AM_CONDITIONAL([DEBUG], [test x$debug = xtrue])
+
 # Checks for programs.
 AC_PROG_CXX
 AC_PROG_CC
diff --git a/cpp/Makefile.am b/cpp/Makefile.am
index a936413f9..0760cb9ce 100644
--- a/cpp/Makefile.am
+++ b/cpp/Makefile.am
@@ -142,7 +142,6 @@ testVSLAMFactor_LDADD = libgtsam.la
 # The header files will be installed in ~/include/gtsam
 headers = gtsam.h Value.h Factor.h LinearFactorSet.h Point2Prior.h Simulated2DOdometry.h Simulated2DMeasurement.h smallExample.h $(sources:.cpp=.h)
 
-
 # create both dynamic and static libraries
 AM_CXXFLAGS = -I$(boost) -fPIC
 lib_LTLIBRARIES = libgtsam.la
@@ -150,6 +149,11 @@ libgtsam_la_SOURCES = $(sources)
 libgtsam_la_CPPFLAGS = $(AM_CXXFLAGS)
 libgtsam_la_LDFLAGS = -version-info $(version) -L../colamd -lcolamd #-lboost_serialization-mt
 
+# enable debug if --enable-debug is set in configure
+if DEBUG
+     AM_CXXFLAGS += -g
+endif
+
 # install the header files
 include_HEADERS = $(headers)