diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index ce51105..dfc6308 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ configure_file(${version_header} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/elfio_version.hpp.c
 
 project(elfio VERSION ${version} LANGUAGES C CXX)
 
+# Enable C++11
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 11)
+
 include(GNUInstallDirs)
 
 # Create a header only CMake target for elfio
@@ -104,4 +107,4 @@ if (IS_TOP_PROJECT)
             elfio
         EXPORT
             ${PROJECT_NAME}_Targets)
-endif()
\ No newline at end of file
+endif()