diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index f2ec0112b..572e88ec2 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ CFLAGS = @CFLAGS@
 CPP = @CPP@
 CPPFLAGS = @CPPFLAGS@
 CYGPATH_W = @CYGPATH_W@
+DEBUG_CFLAGS = @DEBUG_CFLAGS@
 DEFS = @DEFS@
 DEPDIR = @DEPDIR@
 DSYMUTIL = @DSYMUTIL@
diff --git a/cmd/Makefile.in b/cmd/Makefile.in
index 819957e07..75e5d8d2f 100644
--- a/cmd/Makefile.in
+++ b/cmd/Makefile.in
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ CFLAGS = @CFLAGS@
 CPP = @CPP@
 CPPFLAGS = @CPPFLAGS@
 CYGPATH_W = @CYGPATH_W@
+DEBUG_CFLAGS = @DEBUG_CFLAGS@
 DEFS = @DEFS@
 DEPDIR = @DEPDIR@
 DSYMUTIL = @DSYMUTIL@
@@ -236,8 +237,8 @@ top_srcdir = @top_srcdir@
 DEFAULT_INCLUDES = -include ${top_srcdir}/spl_config.h \
 	-I${top_srcdir}/lib
 AM_LIBTOOLFLAGS = --silent
-AM_CFLAGS = -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -Werror -Wshadow \
-	-D__USE_LARGEFILE64
+AM_CFLAGS = -Wall -Wshadow -Wstrict-prototypes -fno-strict-aliasing \
+	-D__USE_LARGEFILE64 ${DEBUG_CFLAGS}
 spl_SOURCES = spl.c
 splat_SOURCES = splat.c
 splat_LDFLAGS = $(top_builddir)/lib/libcommon.la
diff --git a/config/Rules.am b/config/Rules.am
index 7b72770b8..c6b00b6b8 100644
--- a/config/Rules.am
+++ b/config/Rules.am
@@ -9,5 +9,5 @@
 DEFAULT_INCLUDES = -include ${top_srcdir}/spl_config.h
 
 AM_LIBTOOLFLAGS = --silent
-AM_CFLAGS  = -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -Werror -Wshadow
-AM_CFLAGS += -D__USE_LARGEFILE64
+AM_CFLAGS  = -Wall -Wshadow -Wstrict-prototypes -fno-strict-aliasing
+AM_CFLAGS += -D__USE_LARGEFILE64 ${DEBUG_CFLAGS}
diff --git a/config/spl-build.m4 b/config/spl-build.m4
index 135783cdc..9fd97c06f 100644
--- a/config/spl-build.m4
+++ b/config/spl-build.m4
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([SPL_AC_CONFIG_KERNEL], [
 	dnl # -Wall -fno-strict-aliasing -Wstrict-prototypes and other
 	dnl # compiler options are added by the kernel build system.
 	abs_srcdir=`readlink -f ${srcdir}`
-	KERNELCPPFLAGS="$KERNELCPPFLAGS -Wstrict-prototypes -Werror"
+	KERNELCPPFLAGS="$KERNELCPPFLAGS -Wstrict-prototypes"
 	KERNELCPPFLAGS="$KERNELCPPFLAGS -I${abs_srcdir}/include"
 	KERNELCPPFLAGS="$KERNELCPPFLAGS -include ${abs_srcdir}/spl_config.h"
 
@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@ dnl # Enable if the SPL should be compiled with internal debugging enabled.
 dnl # By default this support is disabled.
 dnl #
 AC_DEFUN([SPL_AC_DEBUG], [
+	AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether debugging is enabled])
 	AC_ARG_ENABLE([debug],
 		[AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-debug],
 		[Enable generic debug support @<:@default=no@:>@])],
@@ -242,10 +243,18 @@ AC_DEFUN([SPL_AC_DEBUG], [
 		[enable_debug=no])
 
 	AS_IF([test "x$enable_debug" = xyes],
-		[KERNELCPPFLAGS="${KERNELCPPFLAGS} -DDEBUG"],
-		[KERNELCPPFLAGS="${KERNELCPPFLAGS} -DNDEBUG"])
+	[
+		AC_DEFINE([DEBUG], [1], [Define to 1 to enable debug])
+		KERNELCPPFLAGS="${KERNELCPPFLAGS} -DDEBUG -Werror"
+		DEBUG_CFLAGS="-DDEBUG -Werror"
+	],
+	[
+		AC_DEFINE([NDEBUG], [1], [Define to 1 to enable debug])
+		KERNELCPPFLAGS="${KERNELCPPFLAGS} -DNDEBUG"
+		DEBUG_CFLAGS="-DNDEBUG"
+	])
 
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether debugging is enabled])
+	AC_SUBST(DEBUG_CFLAGS)
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([$enable_debug])
 ])
 
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index fe3de76dc..a0d4cf890 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -791,6 +791,7 @@ CONFIG_KERNEL_FALSE
 CONFIG_KERNEL_TRUE
 CONFIG_USER_FALSE
 CONFIG_USER_TRUE
+DEBUG_CFLAGS
 KERNELCPPFLAGS
 KERNELMAKE_PARAMS
 LINUX_SYMBOLS
@@ -4759,13 +4760,13 @@ if test "${lt_cv_nm_interface+set}" = set; then
 else
   lt_cv_nm_interface="BSD nm"
   echo "int some_variable = 0;" > conftest.$ac_ext
-  (eval echo "\"\$as_me:4762: $ac_compile\"" >&5)
+  (eval echo "\"\$as_me:4763: $ac_compile\"" >&5)
   (eval "$ac_compile" 2>conftest.err)
   cat conftest.err >&5
-  (eval echo "\"\$as_me:4765: $NM \\\"conftest.$ac_objext\\\"\"" >&5)
+  (eval echo "\"\$as_me:4766: $NM \\\"conftest.$ac_objext\\\"\"" >&5)
   (eval "$NM \"conftest.$ac_objext\"" 2>conftest.err > conftest.out)
   cat conftest.err >&5
-  (eval echo "\"\$as_me:4768: output\"" >&5)
+  (eval echo "\"\$as_me:4769: output\"" >&5)
   cat conftest.out >&5
   if $GREP 'External.*some_variable' conftest.out > /dev/null; then
     lt_cv_nm_interface="MS dumpbin"
@@ -5971,7 +5972,7 @@ ia64-*-hpux*)
   ;;
 *-*-irix6*)
   # Find out which ABI we are using.
-  echo '#line 5974 "configure"' > conftest.$ac_ext
+  echo '#line 5975 "configure"' > conftest.$ac_ext
   if { (eval echo "$as_me:$LINENO: \"$ac_compile\"") >&5
   (eval $ac_compile) 2>&5
   ac_status=$?
@@ -7824,11 +7825,11 @@ else
    -e 's:.*FLAGS}\{0,1\} :&$lt_compiler_flag :; t' \
    -e 's: [^ ]*conftest\.: $lt_compiler_flag&:; t' \
    -e 's:$: $lt_compiler_flag:'`
-   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:7827: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
+   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:7828: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
    (eval "$lt_compile" 2>conftest.err)
    ac_status=$?
    cat conftest.err >&5
-   echo "$as_me:7831: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+   echo "$as_me:7832: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
    if (exit $ac_status) && test -s "$ac_outfile"; then
      # The compiler can only warn and ignore the option if not recognized
      # So say no if there are warnings other than the usual output.
@@ -8163,11 +8164,11 @@ else
    -e 's:.*FLAGS}\{0,1\} :&$lt_compiler_flag :; t' \
    -e 's: [^ ]*conftest\.: $lt_compiler_flag&:; t' \
    -e 's:$: $lt_compiler_flag:'`
-   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:8166: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
+   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:8167: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
    (eval "$lt_compile" 2>conftest.err)
    ac_status=$?
    cat conftest.err >&5
-   echo "$as_me:8170: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+   echo "$as_me:8171: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
    if (exit $ac_status) && test -s "$ac_outfile"; then
      # The compiler can only warn and ignore the option if not recognized
      # So say no if there are warnings other than the usual output.
@@ -8268,11 +8269,11 @@ else
    -e 's:.*FLAGS}\{0,1\} :&$lt_compiler_flag :; t' \
    -e 's: [^ ]*conftest\.: $lt_compiler_flag&:; t' \
    -e 's:$: $lt_compiler_flag:'`
-   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:8271: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
+   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:8272: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
    (eval "$lt_compile" 2>out/conftest.err)
    ac_status=$?
    cat out/conftest.err >&5
-   echo "$as_me:8275: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+   echo "$as_me:8276: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
    if (exit $ac_status) && test -s out/conftest2.$ac_objext
    then
      # The compiler can only warn and ignore the option if not recognized
@@ -8323,11 +8324,11 @@ else
    -e 's:.*FLAGS}\{0,1\} :&$lt_compiler_flag :; t' \
    -e 's: [^ ]*conftest\.: $lt_compiler_flag&:; t' \
    -e 's:$: $lt_compiler_flag:'`
-   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:8326: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
+   (eval echo "\"\$as_me:8327: $lt_compile\"" >&5)
    (eval "$lt_compile" 2>out/conftest.err)
    ac_status=$?
    cat out/conftest.err >&5
-   echo "$as_me:8330: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+   echo "$as_me:8331: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
    if (exit $ac_status) && test -s out/conftest2.$ac_objext
    then
      # The compiler can only warn and ignore the option if not recognized
@@ -11126,7 +11127,7 @@ else
   lt_dlunknown=0; lt_dlno_uscore=1; lt_dlneed_uscore=2
   lt_status=$lt_dlunknown
   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<_LT_EOF
-#line 11129 "configure"
+#line 11130 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 
 #if HAVE_DLFCN_H
@@ -11222,7 +11223,7 @@ else
   lt_dlunknown=0; lt_dlno_uscore=1; lt_dlneed_uscore=2
   lt_status=$lt_dlunknown
   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<_LT_EOF
-#line 11225 "configure"
+#line 11226 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 
 #if HAVE_DLFCN_H
@@ -11605,7 +11606,7 @@ $as_echo "$LINUX_SYMBOLS" >&6; }
 
 
 			abs_srcdir=`readlink -f ${srcdir}`
-	KERNELCPPFLAGS="$KERNELCPPFLAGS -Wstrict-prototypes -Werror"
+	KERNELCPPFLAGS="$KERNELCPPFLAGS -Wstrict-prototypes"
 	KERNELCPPFLAGS="$KERNELCPPFLAGS -I${abs_srcdir}/include"
 	KERNELCPPFLAGS="$KERNELCPPFLAGS -include ${abs_srcdir}/spl_config.h"
 
@@ -11617,6 +11618,8 @@ $as_echo "$LINUX_SYMBOLS" >&6; }
 
 
 
+	{ $as_echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking whether debugging is enabled" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking whether debugging is enabled... " >&6; }
 	# Check whether --enable-debug was given.
 if test "${enable_debug+set}" = set; then
   enableval=$enable_debug;
@@ -11626,14 +11629,29 @@ fi
 
 
 	if test "x$enable_debug" = xyes; then
-  KERNELCPPFLAGS="${KERNELCPPFLAGS} -DDEBUG"
+
+
+cat >>confdefs.h <<\_ACEOF
+#define DEBUG 1
+_ACEOF
+
+		KERNELCPPFLAGS="${KERNELCPPFLAGS} -DDEBUG -Werror"
+		DEBUG_CFLAGS="-DDEBUG -Werror"
+
 else
-  KERNELCPPFLAGS="${KERNELCPPFLAGS} -DNDEBUG"
+
+
+cat >>confdefs.h <<\_ACEOF
+#define NDEBUG 1
+_ACEOF
+
+		KERNELCPPFLAGS="${KERNELCPPFLAGS} -DNDEBUG"
+		DEBUG_CFLAGS="-DNDEBUG"
+
 fi
 
 
-	{ $as_echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking whether debugging is enabled" >&5
-$as_echo_n "checking whether debugging is enabled... " >&6; }
+
 	{ $as_echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $enable_debug" >&5
 $as_echo "$enable_debug" >&6; }
 
@@ -15068,7 +15086,7 @@ $as_echo "$LINUX_SYMBOLS" >&6; }
 
 
 			abs_srcdir=`readlink -f ${srcdir}`
-	KERNELCPPFLAGS="$KERNELCPPFLAGS -Wstrict-prototypes -Werror"
+	KERNELCPPFLAGS="$KERNELCPPFLAGS -Wstrict-prototypes"
 	KERNELCPPFLAGS="$KERNELCPPFLAGS -I${abs_srcdir}/include"
 	KERNELCPPFLAGS="$KERNELCPPFLAGS -include ${abs_srcdir}/spl_config.h"
 
@@ -15080,6 +15098,8 @@ $as_echo "$LINUX_SYMBOLS" >&6; }
 
 
 
+	{ $as_echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking whether debugging is enabled" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking whether debugging is enabled... " >&6; }
 	# Check whether --enable-debug was given.
 if test "${enable_debug+set}" = set; then
   enableval=$enable_debug;
@@ -15089,14 +15109,29 @@ fi
 
 
 	if test "x$enable_debug" = xyes; then
-  KERNELCPPFLAGS="${KERNELCPPFLAGS} -DDEBUG"
+
+
+cat >>confdefs.h <<\_ACEOF
+#define DEBUG 1
+_ACEOF
+
+		KERNELCPPFLAGS="${KERNELCPPFLAGS} -DDEBUG -Werror"
+		DEBUG_CFLAGS="-DDEBUG -Werror"
+
 else
-  KERNELCPPFLAGS="${KERNELCPPFLAGS} -DNDEBUG"
+
+
+cat >>confdefs.h <<\_ACEOF
+#define NDEBUG 1
+_ACEOF
+
+		KERNELCPPFLAGS="${KERNELCPPFLAGS} -DNDEBUG"
+		DEBUG_CFLAGS="-DNDEBUG"
+
 fi
 
 
-	{ $as_echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking whether debugging is enabled" >&5
-$as_echo_n "checking whether debugging is enabled... " >&6; }
+
 	{ $as_echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $enable_debug" >&5
 $as_echo "$enable_debug" >&6; }
 
diff --git a/include/Makefile.in b/include/Makefile.in
index 97c854e20..21ce72f8e 100644
--- a/include/Makefile.in
+++ b/include/Makefile.in
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ CFLAGS = @CFLAGS@
 CPP = @CPP@
 CPPFLAGS = @CPPFLAGS@
 CYGPATH_W = @CYGPATH_W@
+DEBUG_CFLAGS = @DEBUG_CFLAGS@
 DEFS = @DEFS@
 DEPDIR = @DEPDIR@
 DSYMUTIL = @DSYMUTIL@
diff --git a/lib/Makefile.in b/lib/Makefile.in
index 3ba39fff7..eb2e83134 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile.in
+++ b/lib/Makefile.in
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ CFLAGS = @CFLAGS@
 CPP = @CPP@
 CPPFLAGS = @CPPFLAGS@
 CYGPATH_W = @CYGPATH_W@
+DEBUG_CFLAGS = @DEBUG_CFLAGS@
 DEFS = @DEFS@
 DEPDIR = @DEPDIR@
 DSYMUTIL = @DSYMUTIL@
@@ -227,8 +228,8 @@ top_builddir = @top_builddir@
 top_srcdir = @top_srcdir@
 DEFAULT_INCLUDES = -include ${top_srcdir}/spl_config.h
 AM_LIBTOOLFLAGS = --silent
-AM_CFLAGS = -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -Werror -Wshadow \
-	-D__USE_LARGEFILE64
+AM_CFLAGS = -Wall -Wshadow -Wstrict-prototypes -fno-strict-aliasing \
+	-D__USE_LARGEFILE64 ${DEBUG_CFLAGS}
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libcommon.la
 libcommon_la_SOURCES = list.c
 EXTRA_DIST = list.h
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.in b/scripts/Makefile.in
index b171b01ff..64e414acb 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.in
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.in
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ CFLAGS = @CFLAGS@
 CPP = @CPP@
 CPPFLAGS = @CPPFLAGS@
 CYGPATH_W = @CYGPATH_W@
+DEBUG_CFLAGS = @DEBUG_CFLAGS@
 DEFS = @DEFS@
 DEPDIR = @DEPDIR@
 DSYMUTIL = @DSYMUTIL@
diff --git a/spl_config.h.in b/spl_config.h.in
index a22ca7b8b..540b79392 100644
--- a/spl_config.h.in
+++ b/spl_config.h.in
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 /* Atomic types use spinlocks */
 #undef ATOMIC_SPINLOCK
 
+/* Define to 1 to enable debug */
+#undef DEBUG
+
 /* Define to 1 to enable basic kmem accounting */
 #undef DEBUG_KMEM
 
@@ -208,6 +211,9 @@
    */
 #undef LT_OBJDIR
 
+/* Define to 1 to enable debug */
+#undef NDEBUG
+
 /* get_zone_counts() is needed */
 #undef NEED_GET_ZONE_COUNTS