diff --git a/gtsam/base/FastSet.h b/gtsam/base/FastSet.h
index a1be08d80..58ddd13a0 100644
--- a/gtsam/base/FastSet.h
+++ b/gtsam/base/FastSet.h
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include <gtsam/config.h>
+
 #ifdef GTSAM_ENABLE_BOOST_SERIALIZATION
 #include <boost/version.hpp>
 #if BOOST_VERSION >= 107400
diff --git a/gtsam/base/serialization.h b/gtsam/base/serialization.h
index 18612bc22..e829014ae 100644
--- a/gtsam/base/serialization.h
+++ b/gtsam/base/serialization.h
@@ -17,9 +17,12 @@
  * @date Feb 7, 2012
  */
 
-#ifdef GTSAM_ENABLE_BOOST_SERIALIZATION
 #pragma once
 
+#include <gtsam/config.h>
+
+#ifdef GTSAM_ENABLE_BOOST_SERIALIZATION
+
 #include <Eigen/Core>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <sstream>
diff --git a/gtsam/base/serializationTestHelpers.h b/gtsam/base/serializationTestHelpers.h
index 09b36cdc8..fb0701d89 100644
--- a/gtsam/base/serializationTestHelpers.h
+++ b/gtsam/base/serializationTestHelpers.h
@@ -17,9 +17,12 @@
  * @date Feb 7, 2012
  */
 
-#ifdef GTSAM_ENABLE_BOOST_SERIALIZATION
 #pragma once
 
+#include <gtsam/config.h>
+
+#ifdef GTSAM_ENABLE_BOOST_SERIALIZATION
+
 #include <iostream>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <string>
diff --git a/gtsam/config.h.in b/gtsam/config.h.in
index 719cbc6cb..8b4903d3a 100644
--- a/gtsam/config.h.in
+++ b/gtsam/config.h.in
@@ -88,3 +88,7 @@
 #cmakedefine GTSAM_SLOW_BUT_CORRECT_BETWEENFACTOR
 
 #cmakedefine GTSAM_SLOW_BUT_CORRECT_EXPMAP
+
+// Boost flags
+#cmakedefine01 GTSAM_ENABLE_BOOST_SERIALIZATION
+#cmakedefine01 GTSAM_USE_BOOST_FEATURES