diff --git a/.github/workflows/macos.yml b/.github/workflows/macos.yml
index 7c93b9ad..abc80f13 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/macos.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/macos.yml
@@ -30,6 +30,6 @@ jobs:
     #- name: ccache dump config
     #  run: ccache -p
     - name: cmake build
-      run: cmake -S . -B build -DBOOST_ROOT=boost_1_74_0 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=ccache -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-I/usr/local/include"
+      run: cmake -S . -B build -DBOOST_ROOT=boost_1_74_0 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DWERROR=ON -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=ccache -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-I/usr/local/include"
     - name: cmake make
       run: cmake --build build --parallel 3
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml b/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
index 4fdf2e53..f98c5383 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ jobs:
     #- name: ccache dump config
     #  run: ccache -p
     - name: cmake build
-      run: cmake -S . -B build -DBOOST_ROOT=boost_1_74_0 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=ccache
+      run: cmake -S . -B build -DBOOST_ROOT=boost_1_74_0 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DWERROR=ON -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=ccache
     - name: cmake make
       run: cmake --build build --parallel 3
     - name: debian package
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index a7b62deb..241d2ed5 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -199,9 +199,9 @@ script:
   - |
     (
       if [ "$TRAVIS_OS_NAME" != 'windows' ]; then
-        cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release .. && make && sudo make install
+        cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DWERROR=ON .. && make && sudo make install
       else
-        cmake -G "Visual Studio 15 2017 Win64" -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../vcpkg/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake -DVCPKG_TARGET_TRIPLET=x64-windows ..
+        cmake -G "Visual Studio 15 2017 Win64" -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../vcpkg/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake -DVCPKG_TARGET_TRIPLET=x64-windows -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DWERROR=ON ..
         cmake --build . --config Release
       fi
      )
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index c576a573..6e53797e 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,15 +7,22 @@ set(PROJECT_URL "https://github.com/badaix/snapcast")
 option(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS "Build snapcast in a shared context" ON)
 option(BUILD_STATIC_LIBS "Build snapcast in a static context" ON)
 option(BUILD_TESTS "Build tests (run tests with make test)" ON)
+option(WERROR "Treat warnings as errors" OFF)
 
 if (MSVC)
     # warning level 4 and all warnings as errors
     # warning C4505: 'getArch': unreferenced local function has been removed
     # warning C4458: declaration of 'size' hides class member
-    add_compile_options(/W4 /WX /wd4458 /wd4505)
+    add_compile_options(/W4 /wd4458 /wd4505)
+    if (WERROR)
+        add_compile_options(/WX)
+    endif()
 else()
     # lots of warnings and all warnings as errors
-    add_compile_options(-Wall -Wextra -pedantic -Werror -Wno-unused-function)
+    add_compile_options(-Wall -Wextra -pedantic -Wno-unused-function)
+    if (WERROR)
+        add_compile_options(-Werror)
+    endif()
 endif()
 
 include(GNUInstallDirs)