diff --git a/cabal.project.validate b/cabal.project.validate
index aae9375fb34..52c78411107 100644
--- a/cabal.project.validate
+++ b/cabal.project.validate
@@ -5,3 +5,5 @@ import: project-cabal/constraints.config
 
 tests: True
 write-ghc-environment-files: never
+program-options
+  ghc-options: -Werror
diff --git a/project-cabal/ghc-options.config b/project-cabal/ghc-options.config
index e3ece385c5c..c26dfae7505 100644
--- a/project-cabal/ghc-options.config
+++ b/project-cabal/ghc-options.config
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 program-options
-  ghc-options: -fno-ignore-asserts -Werror
+  ghc-options: -fno-ignore-asserts