diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 2c5327f..b5e8406 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ if(NOT APPLE)
   add_compile_options(-g -fno-omit-frame-pointer)
 endif()
 
+# work around lack of musttail for gcc
+if(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "GNU" AND CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "Debug")
+  add_compile_options(-O1 -foptimize-sibling-calls)
+endif()
+
 set(full_relro_flags "-pie;LINKER:-z,relro,-z,now,-z,noexecstack")
 cmake_push_check_state()
 list(APPEND CMAKE_REQUIRED_LINK_OPTIONS ${full_relro_flags})
diff --git a/test_conflict_set.py b/test_conflict_set.py
index c18f83b..468271b 100644
--- a/test_conflict_set.py
+++ b/test_conflict_set.py
@@ -164,6 +164,12 @@ def test_fixup_256():
         cs.check(read(0, bytes([1]), bytes([2])))
 
 
+def test_tailcall():
+    with DebugConflictSet() as cs:
+        cs.addWrites(0, write(bytes([1])))
+        cs.check(*[read(0, bytes([1])) for _ in range(100000)])
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     # budget "pytest" for ctest integration without pulling in a dependency. You can of course still use pytest in local development.
     import argparse