diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9efd17d..ee54296 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -45,10 +45,6 @@ dnl starting automake
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([dejagnu dist-bzip2])
 
 dnl gettext & libtool
-AC_ARG_VAR([LT_LDFLAGS],
-[You can use this variable to pass an option 
-to libtool when it is in linking mode (for 
-example, "-all-static")])
 AC_PROG_LIBTOOL
 AM_GNU_GETTEXT([external])
 AM_GNU_GETTEXT_VERSION([0.14.1])
@@ -67,6 +63,20 @@ AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [Wextra])
 AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [Wno-long-long])
 AC_CHECK_LDFLAG([LDFLAGS],[--as-needed])
 
+dnl see if we've to enable debug flags
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([debug], 
+    AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-debug],
+      [turn on debug compiler flags. Disabled by default]), 
+    [enable_debug="$enableval"], [enable_debug="no"])
+
+if test "$enable_debug" = "yes"; then
+  AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [O0])
+  AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [g3])
+else
+  AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [DNDEBUG])
+fi
+
+
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 
 dnl make
diff --git a/plugins/pyloader/configure.ac b/plugins/pyloader/configure.ac
index 1a06b02..bbdc37d 100644
--- a/plugins/pyloader/configure.ac
+++ b/plugins/pyloader/configure.ac
@@ -45,10 +45,6 @@ dnl starting automake
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([dejagnu dist-bzip2])
 
 dnl gettext & libtool
-AC_ARG_VAR([LT_LDFLAGS],
-[You can use this variable to pass an option 
-to libtool when it is in linking mode (for 
-example, "-all-static")])
 AC_PROG_LIBTOOL
 AM_GNU_GETTEXT([external])
 AM_GNU_GETTEXT_VERSION([0.14.1])
@@ -67,6 +63,19 @@ AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [Wextra])
 AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [Wno-long-long])
 AC_CHECK_LDFLAG([LDFLAGS], [--as-needed])
 
+dnl see if we've to enable debug flags
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([debug], 
+    AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-debug],
+      [turn on debug compiler flags. Disabled by default]), 
+    [enable_debug="$enableval"], [enable_debug="no"])
+
+if test "$enable_debug" = "yes"; then
+  AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [O0])
+  AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [g3])
+else
+  AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [DNDEBUG])
+fi
+
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 
 dnl make
diff --git a/plugins/xmlsave/configure.ac b/plugins/xmlsave/configure.ac
index d57e932..f7bd32d 100644
--- a/plugins/xmlsave/configure.ac
+++ b/plugins/xmlsave/configure.ac
@@ -45,10 +45,6 @@ dnl starting automake
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([dejagnu dist-bzip2])
 
 dnl gettext & libtool
-AC_ARG_VAR([LT_LDFLAGS],
-[You can use this variable to pass an option 
-to libtool when it is in linking mode (for 
-example, "-all-static")])
 AC_PROG_LIBTOOL
 AM_GNU_GETTEXT([external])
 AM_GNU_GETTEXT_VERSION([0.14.1])
@@ -67,6 +63,19 @@ AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [Wextra])
 AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [Wno-long-long])
 AC_CHECK_LDFLAG([LDFLAGS], [--as-needed])
 
+dnl see if we've to enable debug flags
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([debug], 
+    AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-debug],
+      [turn on debug compiler flags. Disabled by default]), 
+    [enable_debug="$enableval"], [enable_debug="no"])
+
+if test "$enable_debug" = "yes"; then
+  AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [O0])
+  AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [g3])
+else
+  AC_CHECK_CXXFLAG([CXXFLAGS], [DNDEBUG])
+fi
+
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 
 dnl make