diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9ea2e50bb8..f5fd5accc5 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -435,6 +435,16 @@ all::
 # Define DEVELOPER to enable more compiler warnings. Compiler version
 # and family are auto detected, but could be overridden by defining
 # COMPILER_FEATURES (see config.mak.dev)
+#
+# When DEVELOPER is set, DEVOPTS can be used to control compiler
+# options.  This variable contains keywords separated by
+# whitespace. The following keywords are are recognized:
+#
+#    no-error:
+#
+#        suppresses the -Werror that implicitly comes with
+#        DEVELOPER=1. Useful for getting the full set of errors
+#        without immediately dying, or for logging them.
 
 GIT-VERSION-FILE: FORCE
 	@$(SHELL_PATH) ./GIT-VERSION-GEN
diff --git a/config.mak.dev b/config.mak.dev
index 716a14ecc7..7a54426d78 100644
--- a/config.mak.dev
+++ b/config.mak.dev
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
+ifeq ($(filter no-error,$(DEVOPTS)),)
 CFLAGS += -Werror
+endif
 CFLAGS += -Wdeclaration-after-statement
 CFLAGS += -Wno-format-zero-length
 CFLAGS += -Wold-style-definition