diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 54c89b58e..0aa0c2beb 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ project(mirall)
 set(PACKAGE "mirall")
 set( CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/modules )
 
+include(Warnings)
+
 set(OEM_THEME_DIR "" CACHE STRING "Define directory containing a custom theme")
 if ( EXISTS ${OEM_THEME_DIR}/OEM.cmake )
      include ( ${OEM_THEME_DIR}/OEM.cmake )
diff --git a/cmake/modules/Warnings.cmake b/cmake/modules/Warnings.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6ba251349
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/modules/Warnings.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+if(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
+    execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} -dumpversion
+                    OUTPUT_VARIABLE GCC_VERSION)
+    if(GCC_VERSION VERSION_GREATER 4.8 OR GCC_VERSION VERSION_EQUAL 4.8)
+        set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "-Wall -Wextra -Wpedantic")
+    else(GCC_VERSION VERSION_GREATER 4.8 OR GCC_VERSION VERSION_EQUAL 4.8)
+        set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "-Wall -Wextra -pedantic")
+    endif(GCC_VERSION VERSION_GREATER 4.8 OR GCC_VERSION VERSION_EQUAL 4.8)
+endif(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
+if(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER MATCHES "clang")
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "-Wall -Wextra -pedantic")
+endif(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER MATCHES "clang")
+# TODO: handle msvc compilers warnings?
+
+if(DEFINED MIRALL_FATAL_WARNINGS)
+    if (CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX OR CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER MATCHES "clang")
+        set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -Werror")
+    endif (CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX OR CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER MATCHES "clang")
+    # TODO: handle msvc compilers warnings?
+endif(DEFINED MIRALL_FATAL_WARNINGS)