diff --git a/tools/lib/subcmd/Makefile b/tools/lib/subcmd/Makefile
index a8103700c172..ce4b7e527566 100644
--- a/tools/lib/subcmd/Makefile
+++ b/tools/lib/subcmd/Makefile
@@ -19,7 +19,13 @@ MAKEFLAGS += --no-print-directory
 LIBFILE = $(OUTPUT)libsubcmd.a
 
 CFLAGS := $(EXTRA_WARNINGS) $(EXTRA_CFLAGS)
-CFLAGS += -ggdb3 -Wall -Wextra -std=gnu99 -Werror -O6 -U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 -fPIC
+CFLAGS += -ggdb3 -Wall -Wextra -std=gnu99 -O6 -U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 -fPIC
+
+# Treat warnings as errors unless directed not to
+ifneq ($(WERROR),0)
+  CFLAGS += -Werror
+endif
+
 CFLAGS += -D_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_GNU_SOURCE
 
 CFLAGS += -I$(srctree)/tools/include/