diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index bde16bb813..b1c25bac5a 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 #============================================================================
 # Copyright (C) 2013 - 2018, OpenJK contributors
-# 
+#
 # This file is part of the OpenJK source code.
-# 
+#
 # OpenJK is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 # under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
 # published by the Free Software Foundation.
-# 
+#
 # This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 # but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 # MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
 # GNU General Public License for more details.
-# 
+#
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #============================================================================
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ option(BuildJK2SPGame "Whether to create projects for the jk2 sp gamecode mod (j
 option(BuildJK2SPRdVanilla "Whether to create projects for the jk2 sp renderer (rdjosp-vanilla_x86.dll)" OFF)
 
 option(BuildTests "Whether to build automatic unit tests (requires Boost)" OFF)
+option(UseSanitizer "Whether to enable runtime sanitizers (e.g. AddressSanitizer)" OFF)
 
 include(CMakeDependentOption)
 cmake_dependent_option(BuildSymbolServer "Build WIP Windows Symbol Server (experimental and unused)" OFF "NOT WIN32 OR NOT MSVC" OFF)
@@ -229,6 +230,11 @@ elseif (("${CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID}" STREQUAL "GNU") OR ("${CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID}" M
 	set(CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_LINK_C_FLAGS "")
 	set(CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_LINK_CXX_FLAGS "")
 
+	if(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE MATCHES "DEBUG" OR CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE MATCHES "Debug" AND UseSanitizer)
+		add_compile_options(-fsanitize=address)
+		add_link_options(-fsanitize=address)
+	endif()
+
 	# additional flags for debug configuration
 	set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG} -ggdb")
 	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG} -ggdb")
@@ -243,7 +249,7 @@ elseif (("${CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID}" STREQUAL "GNU") OR ("${CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID}" M
 
 	# enable somewhat modern C++
 	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -std=c++11")
-	
+
 	if("${CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID}" STREQUAL "GNU")
 		set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -Wall")
 		set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -Wno-comment")
@@ -388,4 +394,4 @@ endif()
 if(BuildTests)
 	enable_testing()
 	add_subdirectory("tests")
-endif()
\ No newline at end of file
+endif()