diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index d04f19c28faa..c491b1fb2201 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -268,14 +268,43 @@ RemoveFlag(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL CACHE "-DNDEBUG" "Default C flags for MinSiz
 RemoveFlag(CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_LINK_CXX_FLAGS SCRIPT "-rdynamic" "")
 RemoveFlag(CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_LINK_C_FLAGS SCRIPT "-rdynamic" "")
 
+# #
+# Determine optimization level
+# #
+
+if(NOT OPT)
+	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "-O3")
+	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_RELEASE "-O3")
+
+	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "-O0")
+	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG "-O0")
+
+	if(PROFILER STREQUAL "perf")
+		set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE "-Og")
+		set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE "-Og")
+	else(PROFILER STREQUAL "perf")
+		set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE "-O0")
+		set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE "-O0")
+	endif(PROFILER STREQUAL "perf")
+else(NOT OPT)
+	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "${OPT}")
+	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_RELEASE "${OPT}")
+
+	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "${OPT}")
+	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG "${OPT}")
+
+	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE "${OPT}")
+	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE "${OPT}")
+endif(NOT OPT)
+
 # #
 # Start determining options for Release build
 # #
 
 # reset the base Release build option
-MESSAGE("Replacing default flags used for Release build with -O3 ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE}")
-set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "-O3 ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE}" CACHE STRING "Release build flags" FORCE)
-set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_RELEASE "-O3 ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE}" CACHE STRING "Release build flags" FORCE)
+MESSAGE("Replacing default flags used for Release build with ${OPT} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE}")
+set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE}" CACHE STRING "Release build flags" FORCE)
+set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_RELEASE "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS_RELEASE} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE}" CACHE STRING "Release build flags" FORCE)
 set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE "" CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
 # set the arch to use for Release build if provided
 if(ARCH)
@@ -372,9 +401,9 @@ set_directory_properties(PROPERTIES ADDITIONAL_MAKE_CLEAN_FILES "${CMAKE_SOURCE_
 
 # replace the default Debug flag of -g with -O0 -DDEBUG -ggdb3
 # this matches the flags of scons' debug build
-MESSAGE("Replacing flags used for Debug build -O0 -DDEBUG -ggdb3 ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_DEBUG}")
-set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "-O0 -DDEBUG -ggdb3 ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_DEBUG}" CACHE STRING "change cmake's Debug flags to match scons' flags" FORCE)
-set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG "-O0 -DDEBUG -ggdb3 ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_DEBUG}" CACHE STRING "change cmake's Debug flags to match scons' flags" FORCE)
+MESSAGE("Replacing flags used for Debug build ${OPT} -DDEBUG -ggdb3 ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_DEBUG}")
+set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG} -DDEBUG -ggdb3 ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_DEBUG}" CACHE STRING "change cmake's Debug flags to match scons' flags" FORCE)
+set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG} -DDEBUG -ggdb3 ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_DEBUG}" CACHE STRING "change cmake's Debug flags to match scons' flags" FORCE)
 set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG "${LINK_EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${LINK_EXTRA_FLAGS_DEBUG}" CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
 
 # adds GLIBCXX_DEBUG definitions
@@ -391,29 +420,29 @@ endif(GLIBCXX_DEBUG)
 
 if(PROFILER STREQUAL "gprof" OR NOT PROFILER)
 	MESSAGE("Profiler is gprof")
-	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE "-pg ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with gprof" FORCE)
-	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE "-pg ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with gprof" FORCE)
+	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE} -pg ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with gprof" FORCE)
+	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE} -pg ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with gprof" FORCE)
 	set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_PROFILE "${LINK_EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${LINK_EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
 endif()
 
 if(PROFILER STREQUAL "gcov")
 	MESSAGE("Profiler is gcov")
-	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE "-fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with gcov" FORCE)
-	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE "-fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with gcov" FORCE)
+	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE} -fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with gcov" FORCE)
+	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE} -fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with gcov" FORCE)
 	set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_PROFILE "${LINK_EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${LINK_EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
 endif()
 
 if(PROFILER STREQUAL "gperftools")
 	MESSAGE("Profiler is gperftools")
-	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE "${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with gperftools" FORCE)
-	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE "${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with gperftools" FORCE)
+	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with gperftools" FORCE)
+	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with gperftools" FORCE)
 	set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_PROFILE "-Wl,--no-as-needed,-lprofiler ${LINK_EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${LINK_EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
 endif()
 
 if(PROFILER STREQUAL "perf")
 	MESSAGE("Profiler is perf")
-	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE "-ggdb -Og ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with perf" FORCE)
-	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE "-ggdb -Og ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with perf" FORCE)
+	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_PROFILE} -ggdb ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with perf" FORCE)
+	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS_PROFILE} -ggdb ${EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "Flags for profiling with perf" FORCE)
 	set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_PROFILE "${LINK_EXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG} ${LINK_EXTRA_FLAGS_PROFILE}" CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
 endif()
 
diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index ab88ca755dcc..f47c973b694b 100755
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ opts.AddVariables(
     ('extra_flags_profile', 'Extra compiler and linker flags to use for profile builds', ""),
     BoolVariable('enable_lto', 'Whether to enable Link Time Optimization for build=release', False),
     ('arch', 'What -march option to use for build=release, will default to pentiumpro on Windows', ""),
+    ('opt', 'override for the build\'s optimization level', ""),
     BoolVariable('glibcxx_debug', 'Whether to define _GLIBCXX_DEBUG and _GLIBCXX_DEBUG_PEDANTIC for build=debug', False),
     EnumVariable('profiler', 'profiler to be used for build=profile', "gprof", ["gprof", "gcov", "gperftools", "perf"]),
     EnumVariable('pgo_data', 'whether to generate profiling data for PGO, or use existing profiling data', "", ["", "generate", "use"]),
@@ -480,12 +481,27 @@ for env in [test_env, client_env, env]:
             env.AppendUnique(CXXFLAGS = Split("-Wctor-dtor-privacy -Wuseless-cast -Wnoexcept"))
         if env['sanitize']:
             env.AppendUnique(CCFLAGS = ["-fsanitize=" + env["sanitize"]], LINKFLAGS = ["-fsanitize=" + env["sanitize"]])
-
+    
+# #
+# Determine optimization level
+# #
+        
+        if not env["opt"]:
+            if env["build"] == "release":
+                env["opt"] = "-O3 "
+            elif env["build"] == "profile" and env["profiler"] == "perf":
+                env["opt"] = "-Og "
+            else:
+                env["opt"] = "-O0 "
+        else:
+            env["opt"] = env["opt"]+" "
+                
+        
 # #
 # Start determining options for debug build
 # #
 
-        debug_flags = "-O0 -DDEBUG -ggdb3"
+        debug_flags = env["opt"]+"-DDEBUG -ggdb3"
 
         if env["glibcxx_debug"] == True:
             glibcxx_debug_flags = "_GLIBCXX_DEBUG _GLIBCXX_DEBUG_PEDANTIC"
@@ -498,7 +514,7 @@ for env in [test_env, client_env, env]:
 # #
 
 # default compiler flags
-        rel_comp_flags = "-O3"
+        rel_comp_flags = env["opt"]
         rel_link_flags = ""
 
 # use the arch if provided, or if on Windows and no arch was passed in then default to pentiumpro
@@ -543,19 +559,19 @@ for env in [test_env, client_env, env]:
 # #
 
         if env["profiler"] == "gprof":
-            prof_comp_flags = "-pg"
+            prof_comp_flags = env["opt"]+"-pg"
             prof_link_flags = "-pg"
 
         if env["profiler"] == "gcov":
-            prof_comp_flags = "-fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage"
+            prof_comp_flags = env["opt"]+"-fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage"
             prof_link_flags = "-fprofile-arcs"
 
         if env["profiler"] == "gperftools":
-            prof_comp_flags = ""
+            prof_comp_flags = env["opt"]
             prof_link_flags = "-Wl,--no-as-needed,-lprofiler"
 
         if env["profiler"] == "perf":
-            prof_comp_flags = "-ggdb -Og"
+            prof_comp_flags = env["opt"]+"-ggdb"
             prof_link_flags = ""
 
 # #
diff --git a/utils/travis/docker_run.sh b/utils/travis/docker_run.sh
index 4ca3dce3143b..f2ab952c91b6 100755
--- a/utils/travis/docker_run.sh
+++ b/utils/travis/docker_run.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ TOOL="$2"
 CC="$3"
 CXX="$4"
 CXXSTD="$5"
-EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE="$6"
+OPT="$6"
 WML_TESTS="$7"
 WML_TEST_TIME="$8"
 PLAY_TEST="$9"
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ BOOST_TEST="${11}"
 LTO="${12}"
 SAN="${13}"
 
-if [ "$EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE" == "-O0" ]; then
+if [ "$OPT" == "-O0" ]; then
     STRICT="true"
     build_timeout=35
 else
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ echo "TOOL: $TOOL"
 echo "CC: $CC"
 echo "CXX: $CXX"
 echo "CXXSTD: $CXXSTD"
-echo "EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE: $EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE"
+echo "OPT: $OPT"
 echo "WML_TESTS: $WML_TESTS"
 echo "WML_TEST_TIME: $WML_TEST_TIME"
 echo "PLAY_TEST: $PLAY_TEST"
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ else
         echo "compiler_check = content" >> $HOME/.ccache/ccache.conf
 
         cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DENABLE_GAME=true -DENABLE_SERVER=true -DENABLE_CAMPAIGN_SERVER=true -DENABLE_TESTS=true -DENABLE_NLS=false \
-              -DEXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG="-pipe" -DEXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE="$EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE" -DENABLE_STRICT_COMPILATION="$STRICT" -DENABLE_LTO="$LTO" -DLTO_JOBS=2 \
+              -DEXTRA_FLAGS_CONFIG="-pipe" -DOPT="$OPT" -DENABLE_STRICT_COMPILATION="$STRICT" -DENABLE_LTO="$LTO" -DLTO_JOBS=2 \
               -DCXX_STD="$CXXSTD" -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=ccache -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=ccache && \
               make VERBOSE=1 -j2
         BUILD_RET=$?
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ else
     else
         scons wesnoth wesnothd campaignd boost_unit_tests build=release \
               ctool=$CC cxxtool=$CXX cxx_std=$CXXSTD \
-              extra_flags_config="-pipe" extra_flags_release="$EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE" strict="$STRICT" \
+              extra_flags_config="-pipe" opt="$OPT" strict="$STRICT" \
               nls=false enable_lto="$LTO" sanitize="$SAN" jobs=2 --debug=time
         BUILD_RET=$?
     fi
diff --git a/utils/travis/steps/install.sh b/utils/travis/steps/install.sh
index a27111809da0..1b3329b6cb80 100755
--- a/utils/travis/steps/install.sh
+++ b/utils/travis/steps/install.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 date
 
-export EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE="$OPT"
 export WML_TESTS=true
 export PLAY_TEST=true
 export MP_TEST=true
diff --git a/utils/travis/steps/script.sh b/utils/travis/steps/script.sh
index 946765431670..60ad364d9ddc 100755
--- a/utils/travis/steps/script.sh
+++ b/utils/travis/steps/script.sh
@@ -28,12 +28,12 @@ if [ "$TRAVIS_OS_NAME" = "osx" ]; then
         "$CXX" --version
         scons wesnoth wesnothd campaignd boost_unit_tests build=release \
               ctool="$CC" cxxtool="$CXX" cxx_std="$CXXSTD" \
-              extra_flags_config="-pipe" extra_flags_release="$EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE" strict=true \
+              extra_flags_config="-pipe" opt="$OPT" strict=true \
               nls="$NLS" enable_lto="$LTO" jobs=2 --debug=time
     fi
 else
     docker run -v "$HOME"/build-cache:/home/wesnoth-travis/build \
                -v "$HOME"/.ccache:/root/.ccache wesnoth-repo:"$LTS"-"$BRANCH" \
                bash -c './utils/travis/docker_run.sh "$@"' \
-               bash "$NLS" "$TOOL" "$CC" "$CXX" "$CXXSTD" "$EXTRA_FLAGS_RELEASE" "$WML_TESTS" "$WML_TEST_TIME" "$PLAY_TEST" "$MP_TEST" "$BOOST_TEST" "$LTO" "$SAN"
+               bash "$NLS" "$TOOL" "$CC" "$CXX" "$CXXSTD" "$OPT" "$WML_TESTS" "$WML_TEST_TIME" "$PLAY_TEST" "$MP_TEST" "$BOOST_TEST" "$LTO" "$SAN"
 fi