diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5a39356432..d5f1f652f1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 PREFIX=/usr
-GHCMAKE=ghc -Wall -odir build -hidir build -O2 --make 
+GHCOPTS=-O2 -Wall
+GHCMAKE=ghc -odir build -hidir build $(GHCOPTS) --make
 
 all: git-annex git-annex.1 docs
 
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 7e08b07310..5d088f1bdd 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 git-annex (0.13) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
 
   * Makefile: Install man page and html (when built).
+  * Makefile: Add GHCOPTS variable.
 
  -- Joey Hess <joeyh@debian.org>  Sun, 12 Dec 2010 13:14:58 -0400