diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index e9a6bd33..982a88d8 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ CFLAGS += -Wundef -Wbad-function-cast -Winline -Wcast-align
 CFLAGS += -Wdeclaration-after-statement -Wno-pointer-sign
 CPPFLAGS += -DDEBUG
 endif
+if IS_COVERAGE
+CFLAGS += -g -O0 --coverage
+LDFLAGS += --coverage
+endif
 CPPFLAGS += -iquote.
 endif
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9d64a964..f3fabd94 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -23,15 +23,23 @@ AC_PROG_INSTALL
 # Default tmux.conf goes in /etc not ${prefix}/etc.
 test "$sysconfdir" = '${prefix}/etc' && sysconfdir=/etc
 
-# Is this a debug build?
+# Is this --enable-debug?
 found_debug=yes
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(
 	debug,
-	AC_HELP_STRING(--enable-debug, create a debug build),
+	AC_HELP_STRING(--enable-debug, enable debug build flags),
 	found_debug=$enable_debug
 )
 AM_CONDITIONAL(IS_DEBUG, test "x$found_debug" = xyes)
 
+# Is this --enable-coverage?
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(
+	coverage,
+	AC_HELP_STRING(--enable-coverage, enable coverage build flags),
+	found_coverage=$enable_coverage
+)
+AM_CONDITIONAL(IS_COVERAGE, test "x$found_coverage" = xyes)
+
 # Is this a static build?
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(
 	static,