diff --git a/builds/posix/Makefile.in b/builds/posix/Makefile.in
index c7d3336266b..94f8d09443d 100644
--- a/builds/posix/Makefile.in
+++ b/builds/posix/Makefile.in
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ master_process:
 # even if gpre itself was not rebuilt
 	-$(RM) $(GPRE_CURRENT)
 	(cd $(BIN); $(LN) $(notdir $(GPRE)) $(notdir $(GPRE_CURRENT)))
-ifeq ($(IsDeveloper), Y)
+ifeq ($(RegenCodes),Y)
 # In developer mode we must regenerate various files in include/gen
 	$(MAKE) codes
 endif
diff --git a/builds/posix/make.defaults b/builds/posix/make.defaults
index 1ba56ccbad9..07e69d9a645 100755
--- a/builds/posix/make.defaults
+++ b/builds/posix/make.defaults
@@ -108,6 +108,11 @@ PLUSPLUS_FLAGS:= -fno-rtti -std=c++17
 # If this is defined then we use special rules useful for developers only
 IsDeveloper = @DEVEL_FLG@
 
+RegenCodes = @REGEN_CODES_FLG@
+ifeq ($(IsDeveloper),Y)
+RegenCodes := Y
+endif
+
 CpuType=@CPU_TYPE@
 PLATFORM=@PLATFORM@
 SFIO_EXAMPLES=@SFIO_EXAMPLES@
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 928bd909980..bc25ea26c53 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -529,6 +529,16 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(developer,
    esac])
 AC_SUBST(DEVEL_FLG)
 
+REGEN_CODES_FLG=$DEVEL_FLG
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(regen-codes,
+  [  --enable-regen-codes    re-generate codes (default same as --enable developer)],
+  [case "$enableval" in
+     yes) REGEN_CODES_FLG=Y;;
+     no)  REGEN_CODES_FLG=N;;
+     *)   AC_MSG_ERROR(bad value '${enableval}' for --enable-regen-codes);;
+   esac])
+AC_SUBST(REGEN_CODES_FLG)
+
 CROSS=
 IS_CROSS=N
 AC_ARG_WITH(cross-build,