diff --git a/docs/commandline.rst b/docs/commandline.rst
index 1454ac28..c7f6c187 100644
--- a/docs/commandline.rst
+++ b/docs/commandline.rst
@@ -97,6 +97,10 @@ Available options are:
 
   Disable warnings.
 
+.. option:: --fail-on-warnings
+
+  Treat warnings as errors. Has no effect if used with --no-warnings.
+
 .. option:: -v --version
 
   Show version information.
diff --git a/yara.c b/yara.c
index efd5f6bf..3a3d8e39 100644
--- a/yara.c
+++ b/yara.c
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ typedef struct _MODULE_DATA
 
 } MODULE_DATA;
 
+
 typedef struct _THREAD_ARGS
 {
   YR_RULES* rules;
@@ -90,13 +91,21 @@ typedef struct _THREAD_ARGS
 } THREAD_ARGS;
 
 
-typedef struct _QUEUED_FILE {
-
+typedef struct _QUEUED_FILE
+{
   char* path;
 
 } QUEUED_FILE;
 
 
+typedef struct COMPILER_RESULTS
+{
+  int errors;
+  int warnings;
+
+} COMPILER_RESULTS;
+
+
 #define MAX_ARGS_TAG            32
 #define MAX_ARGS_IDENTIFIER     32
 #define MAX_ARGS_EXT_VAR        32
@@ -125,6 +134,7 @@ int limit = 0;
 int timeout = 1000000;
 int stack_size = DEFAULT_STACK_SIZE;
 int threads = 8;
+int fail_on_warnings = FALSE;
 
 
 #define USAGE_STRING \
@@ -184,6 +194,9 @@ args_option_t options[] =
   OPT_BOOLEAN('w', "no-warnings", &ignore_warnings,
       "disable warnings"),
 
+  OPT_BOOLEAN(0, "fail-on-warnings", &fail_on_warnings,
+      "fail on warnings"),
+
   OPT_BOOLEAN('v', "version", &show_version,
       "show version information"),
 
@@ -526,10 +539,12 @@ void print_compiler_error(
   {
     fprintf(stderr, "%s(%d): error: %s\n", file_name, line_number, message);
   }
-  else
+  else if (!ignore_warnings)
   {
-    if (!ignore_warnings)
-      fprintf(stderr, "%s(%d): warning: %s\n", file_name, line_number, message);
+    COMPILER_RESULTS* compiler_results = (COMPILER_RESULTS*) user_data;
+    compiler_results->warnings++;
+
+    fprintf(stderr, "%s(%d): warning: %s\n", file_name, line_number, message);
   }
 }
 
@@ -1091,7 +1106,12 @@ int main(
       exit_with_code(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
 
-    yr_compiler_set_callback(compiler, print_compiler_error, NULL);
+    COMPILER_RESULTS cr = {
+        .errors = 0,
+        .warnings = 0
+    };
+
+    yr_compiler_set_callback(compiler, print_compiler_error, &cr);
 
     FILE* rule_file = fopen(argv[0], "r");
 
@@ -1101,11 +1121,14 @@ int main(
       exit_with_code(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
 
-    int errors = yr_compiler_add_file(compiler, rule_file, NULL, argv[0]);
+    cr.errors = yr_compiler_add_file(compiler, rule_file, NULL, argv[0]);
 
     fclose(rule_file);
 
-    if (errors > 0)
+    if (cr.errors > 0)
+      exit_with_code(EXIT_FAILURE);
+
+    if (fail_on_warnings && cr.warnings > 0)
       exit_with_code(EXIT_FAILURE);
 
     result = yr_compiler_get_rules(compiler, &rules);
diff --git a/yara.man b/yara.man
index 0d6ceb11..9d62f5c8 100644
--- a/yara.man
+++ b/yara.man
@@ -74,6 +74,10 @@ Speeds up scanning by searching only for the first occurrence of each pattern.
 .B \-w " --no-warnings"
 Disable warnings.
 .TP
+.B "    --fail-on-warnings"
+Treat warnings as errors. Has no effect if used with
+.B --no-warnings.
+.TP
 .B \-v " --version"
 Show version information.
 .SH EXAMPLES
diff --git a/yarac.c b/yarac.c
index 65d5b9dd..61499350 100644
--- a/yarac.c
+++ b/yarac.c
@@ -56,10 +56,19 @@ SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 #define MAX_ARGS_EXT_VAR   32
 
 
+typedef struct COMPILER_RESULTS
+{
+  int errors;
+  int warnings;
+
+} COMPILER_RESULTS;
+
+
 char* ext_vars[MAX_ARGS_EXT_VAR + 1];
 int ignore_warnings = FALSE;
 int show_version = FALSE;
 int show_help = FALSE;
+int fail_on_warnings = FALSE;
 
 
 #define USAGE_STRING \
@@ -73,6 +82,9 @@ args_option_t options[] =
   OPT_BOOLEAN('w', "no-warnings", &ignore_warnings,
       "disable warnings"),
 
+  OPT_BOOLEAN(0, "fail-on-warnings", &fail_on_warnings,
+      "fail on warnings"),
+
   OPT_BOOLEAN('v', "version", &show_version,
       "show version information"),
 
@@ -108,10 +120,12 @@ void report_error(
   {
     fprintf(stderr, "%s(%d): error: %s\n", file_name, line_number, message);
   }
-  else
+  else if (!ignore_warnings)
   {
-    if (!ignore_warnings)
-      fprintf(stderr, "%s(%d): warning: %s\n", file_name, line_number, message);
+    COMPILER_RESULTS* compiler_results = (COMPILER_RESULTS*) user_data;
+    compiler_results->warnings++;
+
+    fprintf(stderr, "%s(%d): warning: %s\n", file_name, line_number, message);
   }
 }
 
@@ -189,7 +203,7 @@ int main(
   {
     printf("%s\n\n", USAGE_STRING);
 
-    args_print_usage(options, 25);
+    args_print_usage(options, 35);
     printf("\nSend bug reports and suggestions to: %s.\n", PACKAGE_BUGREPORT);
 
     return EXIT_SUCCESS;
@@ -215,7 +229,12 @@ int main(
   if (!define_external_variables(compiler))
     exit_with_code(EXIT_FAILURE);
 
-  yr_compiler_set_callback(compiler, report_error, NULL);
+  COMPILER_RESULTS cr = {
+      .errors = 0,
+      .warnings = 0
+  };
+
+  yr_compiler_set_callback(compiler, report_error, &cr);
 
   for (int i = 0; i < argc - 1; i++)
   {
@@ -239,12 +258,15 @@ int main(
 
     if (rule_file != NULL)
     {
-      int errors = yr_compiler_add_file(
+      cr.errors = yr_compiler_add_file(
           compiler, rule_file, ns, file_name);
 
       fclose(rule_file);
 
-      if (errors) // errors during compilation
+      if (cr.errors) // errors during compilation
+        exit_with_code(EXIT_FAILURE);
+
+      if (fail_on_warnings && cr.warnings > 0)
         exit_with_code(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
     else
diff --git a/yarac.man b/yarac.man
index 2a1bfed2..0852da90 100644
--- a/yarac.man
+++ b/yarac.man
@@ -29,13 +29,15 @@ if it’s a path to a directory all the files contained in it will be scanned.
 \fB-d\fP <identifier>=<value>
 define external variable.
 .TP
-.B
-\fB-w\fP
-disable warnings.
+.B \-w " --no-warnings"
+Disable warnings.
 .TP
-.B
-\fB-v\fP
-show version information.
+.B "    --fail-on-warnings"
+Treat warnings as errors. Has no effect if used with
+.B --no-warnings.
+.TP
+.B \-v " --version"
+Show version information.
 .SH EXAMPLE
 The \fB-d\fP is used to define external variables. For example:
 .PP