diff --git a/make-includes/standard_rules.make b/make-includes/standard_rules.make
index 07ea0a1..b318821 100644
--- a/make-includes/standard_rules.make
+++ b/make-includes/standard_rules.make
@@ -24,6 +24,16 @@
 
 ################################################################################
 #
+# Default LaTeX command-line options.
+#   * -shell-escape for use with minted (and other things)
+#   * others to aid debugging
+# 
+#
+LATEX_FLAGS+=-synctex=1 -shell-escape -interaction=nonstopmode -halt-on-error -file-line-error
+
+
+################################################################################
+#
 # Default rules.
 #
 #
@@ -31,13 +41,13 @@
 # 
 %.pdf %-print.pdf: $(IMGDIR)/%.tex
 ifdef UNICODE
-	$(XELATEX) -jobname=$(IMGDIR)/$* $<
-	$(XELATEX) -jobname=$(IMGDIR)/$* $<
+	$(XELATEX) $(LATEX_FLAGS) -jobname=$(IMGDIR)/$* $<
+	$(XELATEX) $(LATEX_FLAGS) -jobname=$(IMGDIR)/$* $<
 	$(PDFCROP) $(IMGDIR)/$@ $(IMGDIR)/$*-crop.pdf
 	-$(MV) $(IMGDIR)/$*-crop.pdf $(IMGDIR)/$@
 else
-	$(LATEX) -jobname=$(IMGDIR)/$* $<
-	$(LATEX) -jobname=$(IMGDIR)/$* $<
+	$(LATEX) $(LATEX_FLAGS) -jobname=$(IMGDIR)/$* $<
+	$(LATEX) $(LATEX_FLAGS) -jobname=$(IMGDIR)/$* $<
 	$(DVIPS) -q -f $(IMGDIR)/$* | $(PS2EPS) --quiet --loose | $(EPSTOPDF) --filter --outfile=$(IMGDIR)/$@
 endif
 #
@@ -45,11 +55,11 @@
 #
 %.pdf: %.tex
 ifdef UNICODE
-	$(XELATEX) -synctex=1 $<
-	$(XELATEX) -synctex=1 $<
+	$(XELATEX) $(LATEX_FLAGS) $<
+	$(XELATEX) $(LATEX_FLAGS) $<
 else
-	$(PDFLATEX) -synctex=1 $<
-	$(PDFLATEX) -synctex=1 $<
+	$(PDFLATEX) $(LATEX_FLAGS) $<
+	$(PDFLATEX) $(LATEX_FLAGS) $<
 endif
 #
 # 2-up PDF from 1-up PDF.