diff --git a/am/guilec b/am/guilec
index 94a13ff58..dbbadc7f1 100644
--- a/am/guilec
+++ b/am/guilec
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 # -*- makefile -*-
 GOBJECTS = $(SOURCES:%.scm=%.go) $(ELISP_SOURCES:%.el=%.go)
 
-GUILE_WARNINGS = -W1
+GUILE_WARNINGS ?= -W1
+GUILE_OPTIMIZATIONS ?= -O2
 
 moddir = $(pkgdatadir)/$(GUILE_EFFECTIVE_VERSION)/$(modpath)
 nobase_mod_DATA = $(SOURCES) $(ELISP_SOURCES) $(NOCOMP_SOURCES)
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ SUFFIXES = .scm .el .go
 .scm.go:
 	$(AM_V_GUILEC)GUILE_AUTO_COMPILE=0			\
 	$(top_builddir)/meta/build-env				\
-	guild compile --target="$(host)" $(GUILE_WARNINGS)	\
+	guild compile --target="$(host)" $(GUILE_WARNINGS) $(GUILE_OPTIMIZATIONS) \
 	  -L "$(abs_srcdir)" -L "$(abs_builddir)"		\
 	  -L "$(abs_top_srcdir)/guile-readline"			\
 	  -o "$@" "$<"
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ SUFFIXES = .scm .el .go
 .el.go:
 	$(AM_V_GUILEC)GUILE_AUTO_COMPILE=0			\
 	$(top_builddir)/meta/build-env				\
-	guild compile --target="$(host)" $(GUILE_WARNINGS)	\
+	guild compile --target="$(host)" $(GUILE_WARNINGS) $(GUILE_OPTIMIZATIONS) \
 	  -L "$(abs_srcdir)" -L "$(abs_builddir)"		\
 	  -L "$(abs_top_srcdir)/guile-readline"			\
 	  --from=elisp -o "$@" "$<"