diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 2b534fd285..a79eecb764 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -277,6 +277,14 @@ IF (HDF5_ENABLE_COVERAGE)
     SET (LDFLAGS "${LDFLAGS} -fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage")   
 ENDIF (HDF5_ENABLE_COVERAGE)
 
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Option to indicate using a memory checker
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+OPTION (HDF5_ENABLE_USING_MEMCHECKER "Indicate that a memory checker is used" OFF)
+IF (HDF5_ENABLE_USING_MEMCHECKER)
+    SET (H5_USING_MEMCHECKER 1)   
+ENDIF (HDF5_ENABLE_USING_MEMCHECKER)
+
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # When building utility executables that generate other (source) files :
 # we make use of the following variables defined in the root CMakeLists.