diff --git a/gtsam/CMakeLists.txt b/gtsam/CMakeLists.txt
index 3d1bbd2a7..16dca6736 100644
--- a/gtsam/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/gtsam/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ set (gtsam_subdirs
     sfm
     slam
     smart
-	navigation
+	  navigation
 )
 
 set(gtsam_srcs)
@@ -186,11 +186,17 @@ install(
 list(APPEND GTSAM_EXPORTED_TARGETS gtsam)
 set(GTSAM_EXPORTED_TARGETS "${GTSAM_EXPORTED_TARGETS}" PARENT_SCOPE)
 
-# make sure that ccolamd compiles even in face of warnings
+# Make sure that ccolamd compiles even in face of warnings
+# and suppress all warnings from 3rd party code if Release build
 if(WIN32)
-    set_source_files_properties(${3rdparty_srcs} PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "-w")
+  set_source_files_properties(${3rdparty_srcs} PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "/w")
 else()
+  if("${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}" STREQUAL "Release")
+    # Suppress all warnings from 3rd party sources.
+    set_source_files_properties(${3rdparty_srcs} PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "-w")
+  else()
     set_source_files_properties(${3rdparty_srcs} PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "-Wno-error")
+  endif()
 endif()
 
 # Create the matlab toolbox for the gtsam library