diff --git configure.ac configure.ac
index c22d91e..aacb5b1 100644
--- configure.ac
+++ configure.ac
@@ -26,12 +26,6 @@ AC_MSG_RESULT($host_os)
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(hardware)
 AC_MSG_RESULT($host_cpu)
 
-dnl initial checks; tweakings to CFLAGS and LDFLAGS
-dnl see final checks for tweakings to LIBS
-if test "x$ac_cv_prog_gcc" = xyes ; then
-  CFLAGS="-O2 ${CFLAGS}"
-fi
-
 dnl set debug level
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether to enable debugging compiler options])
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(debug,
