diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4149da37ac..0b00418abb 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ CFLAGS += -Ichacha20poly1305
 CFLAGS += -Ied25519-donna
 CFLAGS += -DUSE_ETHEREUM=1
 CFLAGS += -DUSE_GRAPHENE=1
+CFLAGS += -DUSE_NEM=1
 
 # disable certain optimizations and features when small footprint is required
 ifdef SMALL
diff --git a/options.h b/options.h
index 79d3f6ec02..2a542157e5 100644
--- a/options.h
+++ b/options.h
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@
 #define USE_GRAPHENE 0
 #endif
 
+// support NEM operations
+#ifndef USE_NEM
+#define USE_NEM 0
+#endif
+
 // support Keccak hashing
 #ifndef USE_KECCAK
 #define USE_KECCAK 1