diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 733cf0a2..e116236d 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -116,8 +116,6 @@ endif()
 if(MI_SHOW_ERRORS MATCHES "ON")
   message(STATUS "Enable printing of error and warning messages by default (MI_SHOW_ERRORS=ON)")
   list(APPEND mi_defines MI_SHOW_ERRORS=1)
-else()
-  list(APPEND mi_defines MI_SHOW_ERRORS=0)
 endif()
 
 if(MI_USE_CXX MATCHES "ON")
diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index 76b84589..1a4633ee 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -51,7 +51,11 @@ typedef struct mi_option_desc_s {
 static mi_option_desc_t options[_mi_option_last] =
 {
   // stable options
-  { MI_DEBUG | MI_SHOW_ERRORS, UNINIT, MI_OPTION(show_errors) },
+#if MI_DEBUG || defined(MI_SHOW_ERRORS)
+  { 1, UNINIT, MI_OPTION(show_errors) },
+#else
+  { 0, UNINIT, MI_OPTION(show_errors) },
+#endif
   { 0, UNINIT, MI_OPTION(show_stats) },
   { 0, UNINIT, MI_OPTION(verbose) },