diff --git a/rcl/CMakeLists.txt b/rcl/CMakeLists.txt
index 26a16df..634bf82 100644
--- a/rcl/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/rcl/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,9 +12,18 @@ find_package(rosidl_generator_c REQUIRED)
 
 include_directories(include)
 
-if(NOT WIN32)
-  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -Wall -Wextra")
-  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -std=c++14 -Wall -Wextra")
+# Default to C11
+if(NOT CMAKE_C_STANDARD)
+  set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD 11)
+endif()
+
+# Default to C++14
+if(NOT CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD)
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 14)
+endif()
+
+if(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX OR CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang")
+  add_compile_options(-Wall -Wextra)
 endif()
 
 set(${PROJECT_NAME}_sources
diff --git a/rcl_lifecycle/CMakeLists.txt b/rcl_lifecycle/CMakeLists.txt
index 579b117..15a1eb2 100644
--- a/rcl_lifecycle/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/rcl_lifecycle/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,6 +11,20 @@ find_package(rmw REQUIRED)
 
 include_directories(include)
 
+# Default to C11
+if(NOT CMAKE_C_STANDARD)
+  set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD 11)
+endif()
+
+# Default to C++14
+if(NOT CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD)
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 14)
+endif()
+
+if(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX OR CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang")
+  add_compile_options(-Wall -Wextra -Wpedantic)
+endif()
+
 set(rcl_lifecycle_sources
   src/com_interface.c
   src/default_state_machine.c
@@ -43,12 +57,6 @@ install(TARGETS rcl_lifecycle
   RUNTIME DESTINATION bin)
 
 if(BUILD_TESTING)
-  if(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX OR CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang")
-    set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -std=c11")
-    set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -std=c++14")
-    add_compile_options(-Wall -Wextra -Wpedantic)
-  endif()
-
   find_package(ament_cmake_gtest REQUIRED)
   find_package(ament_lint_auto REQUIRED)
   find_package(rcl REQUIRED)