diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index ae5b091..437a818 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ system_includedir      = @SYSTEM_INCLUDEDIR@
 system_libdir          = @SYSTEM_LIBDIR@
 pkgconfigdir           = @PKGCONFIGDIR@
 
-CFLAGS = -Wall -Wextra -Wformat=2 -std=gnu99
+AM_CFLAGS = -Wall -Wextra -Wformat=2 -std=gnu99
 
 bin_PROGRAMS = pkgconf
 lib_LTLIBRARIES = libpkgconf.la
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 857f04f..2391c40 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ Changes from 0.9.12:
 * Bug fixes:
   - cast all usage of ctype(3) functions
   - do not expand variables passed via --define-variable for compatibility with pkg-config 0.29
+  - let the CFLAGS being user settable
 
 Changes from 0.9.11 to 0.9.12:
 ------------------------------