diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 37c13045..69160d59 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ AX_ADD_FORTIFY_SOURCE
 AX_CXX_COMPILE_STDCXX([11], [noext], [mandatory])
 PKG_PROG_PKG_CONFIG
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([stack-protector],
+	AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-stack-protector], [Disable stack-protector]))
+AM_CONDITIONAL([ENABLE_STACK_PROTECTOR], [test x$enable_stack_protector != xno])
+
 # Checks for libraries.
 AX_PTHREAD([
     LIBS="$PTHREAD_LIBS $LIBS"
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 6b523f60..ca30d20f 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -138,13 +138,16 @@ powertop_CXXFLAGS = \
 	-Wformat \
 	-Wshadow \
 	-fno-omit-frame-pointer \
-	-fstack-protector \
 	$(GLIB2_CFLAGS) \
 	$(LIBNL_CFLAGS) \
 	$(NCURSES_CFLAGS) \
 	$(PCIUTILS_CFLAGS) \
 	$(PTHREAD_CFLAGS)
 
+if ENABLE_STACK_PROTECTOR
+powertop_CXXFLAGS += \
+	-fstack-protector
+endif
 
 powertop_CPPFLAGS = \
 	-DLOCALEDIR=\"$(localedir)\" \