diff --git a/eo/src/Makefile.am b/eo/src/Makefile.am
index 9ccbaf16..050a9dc8 100644
--- a/eo/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/eo/src/Makefile.am
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 ###############################################################################
 
 SUBDIRS = es ga gp utils other
+CPPFLAGS = -O2
 
 lib_LIBRARIES = libeo.a
 libeo_a_SOURCES = eoPrintable.cpp eoPersistent.cpp eoFunctorStore.cpp 
diff --git a/eo/src/utils/Makefile.am b/eo/src/utils/Makefile.am
index 77beb750..6be31c71 100644
--- a/eo/src/utils/Makefile.am
+++ b/eo/src/utils/Makefile.am
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 ###############################################################################
 
 INCLUDES = -I$(top_builddir)/src
-
+CPPFLAGS = -O2
 lib_LIBRARIES = libeoutils.a
 libeoutils_a_SOURCES = eoParser.cpp eoRNG.cpp eoState.cpp eoUpdater.cpp eoFileMonitor.cpp eoStdoutMonitor.cpp