diff --git a/addRepo.go b/addRepo.go
index 1722d41..9b6d0eb 100644
--- a/addRepo.go
+++ b/addRepo.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func (c *controlBox) addRepo(path string) {
 	}
 
 	lasttag := c.status.GetLastTagVersion()
-	if args.Release {
+	if argv.Release {
 		debversion = c.status.DebianReleaseVersion()
 		c.dirtyL.SetText("false")
 	}
diff --git a/args.go b/args.go
index 70c34fd..f01e98b 100644
--- a/args.go
+++ b/args.go
@@ -12,15 +12,18 @@ import (
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
-var args struct {
-	NoGui   bool   `arg:"--no-gui"      help:"don't open the gui, just make the .deb"`
-	Repo    string `arg:"--repo"        help:"go get path to the repo"`
-	PkgDir  string `arg:"--pkg-dir"     help:"set default directory (~/incoming/)"`
-	Release bool   `arg:"--release"     help:"build a release from the last git tag"`
+var argv args
+
+type args struct {
+	NoGui   bool     `arg:"--no-gui"      help:"don't open the gui, just make the .deb"`
+	Ldflags []string `arg:"--ldflags"     help:"flags to pass to go build"`
+	Repo    string   `arg:"--repo"        help:"go get path to the repo"`
+	PkgDir  string   `arg:"--pkg-dir"     help:"set default directory (~/incoming/)"`
+	Release bool     `arg:"--release"     help:"build a release from the last git tag"`
 }
 
 func init() {
-	arg.MustParse(&args)
+	arg.MustParse(&argv)
 
 	if debugger.ArgDebug() {
 		log.Info("cmd line --debugger == true")
diff --git a/buildPackage.go b/buildPackage.go
index 2fcfd32..95c76bb 100644
--- a/buildPackage.go
+++ b/buildPackage.go
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() (bool, error) {
 	}
 
 	var fullfilename string
-	if args.Release {
+	if argv.Release {
 		fullfilename = filepath.Join(homeDir, "go/bin", filename)
 	} else {
 		fullfilename = filename
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() (bool, error) {
 		return false, errors.New("binary existed before build")
 	}
 
-	if args.Release {
+	if argv.Release {
 		os.Unsetenv("GO111MODULE")
 		path := c.pathL.String() + "@latest"
 		cmd := []string{"go", "install", "-v", "-x", path}
@@ -71,9 +71,20 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() (bool, error) {
 	} else {
 		// set the GO111 build var to true. pass the versions to the compiler manually
 		os.Setenv("GO111MODULE", "off")
+		cmd := []string{"go", "build", "-v", "-x"}
+
+		// add some standard golang flags
 		vldflag := "-X main.VERSION=" + version
 		gldflag := "-X main.GUIVERSION=" + version // todo: git this from the filesystem
-		if shell.Run([]string{"go", "build", "-v", "-x", "-ldflags", vldflag, "-ldflags", gldflag}) {
+		cmd = append(cmd, "-ldflags", vldflag)
+		cmd = append(cmd, "-ldflags", gldflag)
+
+		// add any flags from the command line
+		for _, flag := range argv.Ldflags {
+			cmd = append(cmd, "-ldflags", "-X " + flag)
+		}
+
+		if shell.Run(cmd) {
 			log.Warn("go build worked")
 		} else {
 			return false, errors.New("go build")
@@ -144,7 +155,7 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() (bool, error) {
 	// if the git repo has a "./build" script run it before packaging
 	// this way the user can put custom files in the .deb package
 	if c.status.Exists("build") {
-		if args.Release {
+		if argv.Release {
 			os.Unsetenv("GO111MODULE")
 		} else {
 			os.Setenv("GO111MODULE", "off")
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 4259608..4c239c0 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ var cBox *controlBox
 var basicWindow *gadgets.BasicWindow
 
 func main() {
-	if args.Repo == "" {
+	if argv.Repo == "" {
 		log.Info("You need to tell me what repo you want to work on")
 		println("")
 		println("go-deb --repo go.wit.com/apps/helloworld")
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ func main() {
 
 	basicWindow = makebasicWindow()
 
-	filepath := filepath.Join("/home/jcarr/go/src", args.Repo)
+	filepath := filepath.Join("/home/jcarr/go/src", argv.Repo)
 	os.Chdir(filepath)
 
 	// scan the repo
-	cBox.addRepo(args.Repo)
+	cBox.addRepo(argv.Repo)
 
 	// look for a 'config' file in the repo
 	if cBox.readControlFile() == nil {
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ func main() {
 	cBox.computeControlValues()
 	// verify the values for the package
 
-	if args.NoGui {
+	if argv.NoGui {
 		shell.TestTerminalColor()
 		if ok, err := cBox.buildPackage(); ok {
 			log.Info("build worked")