diff --git a/libselinux/src/Makefile b/libselinux/src/Makefile
index d84033ea..1c2270cb 100644
--- a/libselinux/src/Makefile
+++ b/libselinux/src/Makefile
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ MAX_STACK_SIZE=32768
 
 OBJS= $(patsubst %.c,%.o,$(SRCS))
 LOBJS= $(patsubst %.c,%.lo,$(SRCS))
-CFLAGS ?= -Wall -W -Wundef -Wformat-y2k -Wformat-security -Winit-self -Wmissing-include-dirs \
+CFLAGS ?= -O -Wall -W -Wundef -Wformat-y2k -Wformat-security -Winit-self -Wmissing-include-dirs \
           -Wunused -Wunknown-pragmas -Wstrict-aliasing -Wshadow -Wpointer-arith \
           -Wbad-function-cast -Wcast-align -Wwrite-strings -Wlogical-op -Waggregate-return \
           -Wstrict-prototypes -Wold-style-definition -Wmissing-prototypes \
diff --git a/libselinux/utils/Makefile b/libselinux/utils/Makefile
index d76ccfad..5f3e0470 100644
--- a/libselinux/utils/Makefile
+++ b/libselinux/utils/Makefile
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ USRBINDIR ?= $(PREFIX)/sbin
 SBINDIR ?= $(DESTDIR)/sbin
 
 MAX_STACK_SIZE=8192
-CFLAGS ?= -Wall -W -Wundef -Wformat-y2k -Wformat-security -Winit-self -Wmissing-include-dirs \
+CFLAGS ?= -O -Wall -W -Wundef -Wformat-y2k -Wformat-security -Winit-self -Wmissing-include-dirs \
           -Wunused -Wunknown-pragmas -Wstrict-aliasing -Wshadow -Wpointer-arith \
           -Wbad-function-cast -Wcast-align -Wwrite-strings -Wlogical-op -Waggregate-return \
           -Wstrict-prototypes -Wold-style-definition -Wmissing-prototypes \