diff --git a/auto/help b/auto/help
index 064a209b4..7fb6f6e23 100644
--- a/auto/help
+++ b/auto/help
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ default: "$NJS_ADDRESS_SANITIZER"
   --cc=FILE                 sets C compiler filename, default: "$CC"
   --cc-opt=OPTIONS          sets additional C compiler options, \
 default: "$NJS_CC_OPT"
+  --pic=OPTION              sets position independent code flag, \
+default: "$NJS_PIC"
   --debug=YES               enables additional runtime checks, \
 default: "$NJS_DEBUG"
   --debug-memory=YES        enables memory alloc debug, \
diff --git a/auto/make b/auto/make
index feffb69aa..296ff5a8d 100644
--- a/auto/make
+++ b/auto/make
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ cat << END > $NJS_MAKEFILE
 NJS_CC = ${CC}
 NJS_STATIC_LINK = ${AR} -r -c
 NJS_LINK = ${CC} ${NJS_LD_OPT}
-NJS_CFLAGS = ${NJS_CFLAGS} ${NJS_CC_OPT} ${CFLAGS}
+NJS_PIC = ${NJS_PIC}
+CFLAGS = ${NJS_CC_OPT} ${CFLAGS:-${NJS_CFLAGS}}
 NJS_LIB_AUX_CFLAGS = ${NJS_LIB_AUX_CFLAGS}
 
 NJS_VER = $(grep NJS_VERSION src/njs.h | sed -e 's#.*"\(.*\)".*#\1#')
@@ -132,7 +133,7 @@ do
     cat << END >> $NJS_MAKEFILE
 
 $NJS_BUILD_DIR/$njs_obj: $njs_src
-	\$(NJS_CC) -c \$(NJS_LIB_INCS) \$(NJS_CFLAGS) \\
+	\$(NJS_CC) -c \$(NJS_LIB_INCS) \$(NJS_PIC) \$(CFLAGS) \\
 		\$(NJS_LIB_AUX_CFLAGS) \\
 		-o $NJS_BUILD_DIR/$njs_obj \\
 		$njs_dep_flags \\
@@ -154,7 +155,7 @@ do
     cat << END >> $NJS_MAKEFILE
 
 $NJS_BUILD_DIR/$njs_obj: $njs_src
-	\$(NJS_CC) -c \$(NJS_LIB_INCS) \$(NJS_CFLAGS) \\
+	\$(NJS_CC) -c \$(NJS_LIB_INCS) \$(NJS_PIC) \$(CFLAGS) \\
 		\$(NJS_LIB_AUX_CFLAGS) \\
 		-o $NJS_BUILD_DIR/$njs_obj \\
 		$njs_dep_flags \\
@@ -175,7 +176,7 @@ $NJS_BUILD_DIR/njs: \\
 	$NJS_BUILD_DIR/libnjs.a $QJS_LIB \\
 	external/njs_shell.c
 	\$(NJS_LINK) -o $NJS_BUILD_DIR/njs \$(NJS_LIB_INCS) \\
-		\$(NJS_CFLAGS) \$(NJS_LIB_AUX_CFLAGS)\\
+		\$(CFLAGS) \$(NJS_LIB_AUX_CFLAGS)\\
 		external/njs_shell.c \\
 		$NJS_BUILD_DIR/libnjs.a $QJS_LIB \\
 		$NJS_LD_OPT -lm $NJS_LIBS $NJS_LIB_AUX_LIBS $NJS_READLINE_LIB
@@ -220,7 +221,7 @@ do
 $NJS_BUILD_DIR/$njs_bin: $njs_src \\
 	$NJS_BUILD_DIR/libnjs.a
 	\$(NJS_LINK) -o $NJS_BUILD_DIR/$njs_bin \$(NJS_LIB_INCS) \\
-		\$(NJS_CFLAGS) $njs_dep_flags \\
+		\$(CFLAGS) $njs_dep_flags \\
 		$njs_src $NJS_BUILD_DIR/libnjs.a \\
 		$njs_dep_post -lm $NJS_LD_OPT
 
@@ -244,7 +245,7 @@ cat << END >> $NJS_MAKEFILE
 
 $NJS_BUILD_DIR/$njs_externals_obj: \\
     $njs_src
-	\$(NJS_CC) -c \$(NJS_LIB_INCS) \$(NJS_CFLAGS) \\
+	\$(NJS_CC) -c \$(NJS_LIB_INCS) \$(CFLAGS) \\
 		\$(NJS_LIB_AUX_CFLAGS) \\
 		-o $NJS_BUILD_DIR/$njs_externals_obj \\
 		$njs_dep_flags \\
@@ -268,7 +269,7 @@ $NJS_BUILD_DIR/$njs_bin: $njs_src \\
 	$NJS_BUILD_DIR/libnjs.a \\
 	$NJS_BUILD_DIR/$njs_externals_obj
 	\$(NJS_LINK) -o $NJS_BUILD_DIR/$njs_bin \$(NJS_LIB_INCS) \\
-		\$(NJS_CFLAGS) \$(NJS_LIB_AUX_CFLAGS) \\
+		\$(CFLAGS) \$(NJS_LIB_AUX_CFLAGS) \\
 		$njs_dep_flags \\
 		$NJS_BUILD_DIR/$njs_externals_obj \\
 		$njs_src $NJS_BUILD_DIR/libnjs.a \\
diff --git a/auto/options b/auto/options
index 0a4dc6c74..49d980192 100644
--- a/auto/options
+++ b/auto/options
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 # Copyright (C) NGINX, Inc.
 
 
-NJS_CC_OPT=${NJS_CC_OPT:--O}
-NJS_LD_OPT=${NJS_CC_OPT:--O}
+NJS_CC_OPT=
+NJS_LD_OPT=
+NJS_PIC=-fPIC
 
 NJS_DEBUG=NO
 NJS_DEBUG_MEMORY=NO
@@ -40,6 +41,8 @@ do
         --ld-opt=*)                      NJS_LD_OPT="$value"                 ;;
         --ar=*)                          AR="$value"                         ;;
 
+        --pic=*)                         NJS_PIC="$value"                    ;;
+
         --build-dir=*)                   NJS_BUILD_DIR="$value"              ;;
 
         --address-sanitizer=*)           NJS_ADDRESS_SANITIZER="$value"      ;;
diff --git a/auto/summary b/auto/summary
index f540f11ec..59d70428c 100644
--- a/auto/summary
+++ b/auto/summary
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ echo
 echo "NJS configuration summary:"
 echo
 echo " + using CC: \"$CC\""
-echo " + using CFLAGS: \"$NJS_CFLAGS $NJS_CC_OPT $CFLAGS\""
+echo " + using CFLAGS: \"$NJS_CC_OPT ${CFLAGS:-$NJS_CFLAGS}\""
 echo
 
 if [ $NJS_HAVE_PCRE = YES ]; then