diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 6c5b035c3..7e1e3610c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@ SET(NetCDF_VERSION_NOTE "-rc1")
 SET(NetCDF_VERSION ${NetCDF_VERSION_MAJOR}.${NetCDF_VERSION_MINOR}.${NetCDF_VERSION_PATCH}${NetCDF_VERSION_NOTE})
 SET(VERSION ${NetCDF_VERSION})
 
+# Set some default C Flags if we are using GCC
+IF(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCC)
+	SET(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "-g -O2")
+ENDIF()
+
+
 ENABLE_TESTING()
 INCLUDE(CTest)