diff --git a/.waf-tools/coverage.py b/.waf-tools/coverage.py
index 0a3db65..ce92883 100644
--- a/.waf-tools/coverage.py
+++ b/.waf-tools/coverage.py
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
 # -*- Mode: python; py-indent-offset: 4; indent-tabs-mode: nil; coding: utf-8; -*-
-#
-# Copyright (c) 2014, Regents of the University of California
-#
-# GPL 3.0 license, see the COPYING.md file for more information
 
-from waflib import TaskGen
+from waflib import TaskGen, Logs
 
 def options(opt):
     opt.add_option('--with-coverage', action='store_true', default=False, dest='with_coverage',
@@ -12,6 +8,8 @@
 
 def configure(conf):
     if conf.options.with_coverage:
+        if not conf.options.debug:
+            conf.fatal("Code coverage flags require debug mode compilation (add --debug)")
         conf.check_cxx(cxxflags=['-fprofile-arcs', '-ftest-coverage', '-fPIC'],
                        linkflags=['-fprofile-arcs'], uselib_store='GCOV', mandatory=True)