diff --git a/cld2/__init__.py b/cld2/__init__.py
index e216f93..92d53dd 100644
--- a/cld2/__init__.py
+++ b/cld2/__init__.py
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@
 
 
 _DEBUG = False
-_COMPILER_ARGS = ['-ggdb'] if _DEBUG else ['-O2']
+_COMPILER_ARGS = ['-Wno-narrowing', '-ggdb'] if _DEBUG else ['-Wno-narrowing', '-O2']
 
 # pylint: disable=invalid-name
 _full_ffi = FFI()