diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index b379d09df..0888638c2 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ option(GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS    "Enable/Disable building of tests"          ON)
 option(GTSAM_BUILD_TIMING   "Enable/Disable building of timing scripts" ON)
 option(GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES "Enable/Disable building of examples"       ON)
 option(GTSAM_BUILD_WRAP     "Enable/Disable building of matlab wrap utility (necessary for matlab interface)" ON)
+option(GTSAM_LINK_BINARIES_AGAINST_CONVENIENCE_LIBS    
+    "Enable/Disable linking tests against the convenince libraries for faster debugging" ON)
 
 # Avoid building non-installed exes and unit tests when installing
 # FIXME: breaks generation and install of matlab toolbox
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 530dd54d2..240623a22 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+if (GTSAM_LINK_BINARIES_AGAINST_CONVENIENCE_LIBS)
+    set(convenience_libs
+       slam
+       nonlinear
+       linear
+       inference
+       geometry
+       base
+       ccolamd)
+else (GTSAM_LINK_BINARIES_AGAINST_CONVENIENCE_LIBS)
+    set(convenience_libs
+       gtsam-static)
+endif (GTSAM_LINK_BINARIES_AGAINST_CONVENIENCE_LIBS)
+
 # Build tests
 if (GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS)
     add_custom_target(check.tests COMMAND ${CMAKE_CTEST_COMMAND})
@@ -10,7 +24,7 @@ if (GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS)
         add_dependencies(check.tests ${test_bin})
         add_dependencies(check ${test_bin})
         add_test(${test_base} ${EXECUTABLE_OUTPUT_PATH}${test_bin})
-        target_link_libraries(${test_bin} gtsam-static CppUnitLite ${Boost_LIBRARIES})
+        target_link_libraries(${test_bin} ${convenience_libs} CppUnitLite ${Boost_LIBRARIES})
         add_custom_target(${test_bin}.run ${EXECUTABLE_OUTPUT_PATH}${test_bin} ${ARGN})
     endforeach(test_src)
 endif (GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS)
@@ -26,7 +40,7 @@ if (GTSAM_BUILD_TIMING)
         add_executable(${time_bin} ${time_src})
         add_dependencies(timing.tests ${time_bin})
         add_dependencies(timing ${time_bin})
-        target_link_libraries(${time_bin} gtsam-static CppUnitLite ${Boost_LIBRARIES})
+        target_link_libraries(${time_bin} ${convenience_libs} CppUnitLite ${Boost_LIBRARIES})
         add_custom_target(${time_bin}.run ${EXECUTABLE_OUTPUT_PATH}${time_bin} ${ARGN})
     endforeach(time_src)
 endif (GTSAM_BUILD_TIMING)
diff --git a/wrap/CMakeLists.txt b/wrap/CMakeLists.txt
index 4772be2bb..08af58d71 100644
--- a/wrap/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/wrap/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,6 +16,20 @@ endif(GTSAM_INSTALL_WRAP)
 # Install matlab header
 install(FILES matlab.h DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/include/wrap)
 
+if (GTSAM_LINK_BINARIES_AGAINST_CONVENIENCE_LIBS)
+    set(convenience_libs
+       slam
+       nonlinear
+       linear
+       inference
+       geometry
+       base
+       ccolamd)
+else (GTSAM_LINK_BINARIES_AGAINST_CONVENIENCE_LIBS)
+    set(convenience_libs
+       gtsam-static)
+endif (GTSAM_LINK_BINARIES_AGAINST_CONVENIENCE_LIBS)
+
 # Build tests
 if (GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS)
     add_custom_target(check.wrap COMMAND ${CMAKE_CTEST_COMMAND})
@@ -28,7 +42,7 @@ if (GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS)
         add_test(${test_base} ${EXECUTABLE_OUTPUT_PATH}${test_bin})
         add_dependencies(check ${test_bin})
         add_dependencies(check.wrap ${test_bin})
-        target_link_libraries(${test_bin} CppUnitLite gtsam-static wrap_lib)
+        target_link_libraries(${test_bin} CppUnitLite ${convenience_libs} wrap_lib)
         add_custom_target(${test_bin}.run ${EXECUTABLE_OUTPUT_PATH}${test_bin} ${ARGN})
     endforeach(test_src)
 endif(GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS)