diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 0c6eaca3785b7951e224431171eba759be1b3afc..ea5e43974b2251975fde7b046e676363074b4046 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ applications_DATA = htop.desktop
 pixmapdir = $(datadir)/pixmaps
 pixmap_DATA = htop.png
 
-htop_CFLAGS = -pedantic -Wall -Wextra -std=c99 -rdynamic -D_XOPEN_SOURCE_EXTENDED -DSYSCONFDIR=\"$(sysconfdir)\" -I"$(my_htop_platform)"
+htop_CFLAGS = -pedantic -Wall $(wextra_flag) -std=c99 -rdynamic -D_XOPEN_SOURCE_EXTENDED -DSYSCONFDIR=\"$(sysconfdir)\" -I"$(my_htop_platform)"
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -DNDEBUG
 
 myhtopsources = AvailableMetersPanel.c CategoriesPanel.c CheckItem.c \
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index bc586d997b88e5fd161549561c9042dd0d74cd64..a952d5ea9dd250c6036607e9d0b6f5a9053d829c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -68,6 +68,19 @@ AC_TRY_COMPILE(AC_INCLUDES_DEFAULT, [char *a; a = strdup("foo"); int i = 0; i++;
    AC_MSG_ERROR([htop is written in C99. A newer version of gcc is required.]))
 CFLAGS="$save_cflags"
 
+save_cflags="${CFLAGS}"
+CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -Wextra"
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([if compiler supports -Wextra])
+AC_TRY_COMPILE([], [], [
+   wextra_flag=-Wextra
+   AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
+],[
+   wextra_flag=
+   AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
+])
+CFLAGS="$save_cflags"
+AC_SUBST(wextra_flag)
+
 # Checks for features and flags.
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 PROCDIR=/proc