diff --git a/examples/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
index e26dc9c..62df0c0 100644
--- a/examples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@
 TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(simple_bundle_adjuster ceres)
 
 IF (GFLAGS)
+  # The CERES_GFLAGS_NAMESPACE compile definition is NOT stored in
+  # CERES_COMPILE_OPTIONS (and thus config.h) as Ceres itself does not
+  # require gflags, only the tests and examples do.
+  ADD_DEFINITIONS(-DCERES_GFLAGS_NAMESPACE=${GFLAGS_NAMESPACE})
+
   ADD_EXECUTABLE(powell powell.cc)
   TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(powell ceres ${GFLAGS_LIBRARIES})
 
diff --git a/examples/bundle_adjuster.cc b/examples/bundle_adjuster.cc
index 7787d93..e44ab78 100644
--- a/examples/bundle_adjuster.cc
+++ b/examples/bundle_adjuster.cc
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@
 }  // namespace ceres
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
-  google::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
+  CERES_GFLAGS_NAMESPACE::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
   google::InitGoogleLogging(argv[0]);
   if (FLAGS_input.empty()) {
     LOG(ERROR) << "Usage: bundle_adjustment_example --input=bal_problem";
diff --git a/examples/circle_fit.cc b/examples/circle_fit.cc
index 0763806..50bba74 100644
--- a/examples/circle_fit.cc
+++ b/examples/circle_fit.cc
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@
 };
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
-  google::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
+  CERES_GFLAGS_NAMESPACE::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
   google::InitGoogleLogging(argv[0]);
 
   double x, y, r;
diff --git a/examples/denoising.cc b/examples/denoising.cc
index bfd8118..73ac476 100644
--- a/examples/denoising.cc
+++ b/examples/denoising.cc
@@ -176,8 +176,8 @@
       usage("This program denoises an image using Ceres.  Sample usage:\n");
   usage += argv[0];
   usage += " --input=<noisy image PGM file> --foe_file=<FoE file name>";
-  google::SetUsageMessage(usage);
-  google::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
+  CERES_GFLAGS_NAMESPACE::SetUsageMessage(usage);
+  CERES_GFLAGS_NAMESPACE::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
   google::InitGoogleLogging(argv[0]);
 
   if (FLAGS_input.empty()) {
diff --git a/examples/libmv_bundle_adjuster.cc b/examples/libmv_bundle_adjuster.cc
index 4b01202..6135c7f 100644
--- a/examples/libmv_bundle_adjuster.cc
+++ b/examples/libmv_bundle_adjuster.cc
@@ -779,7 +779,7 @@
 }  // namespace
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {
-  google::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
+  CERES_GFLAGS_NAMESPACE::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
   google::InitGoogleLogging(argv[0]);
 
   if (FLAGS_input.empty()) {
diff --git a/examples/more_garbow_hillstrom.cc b/examples/more_garbow_hillstrom.cc
index d98e57c..471eed4 100644
--- a/examples/more_garbow_hillstrom.cc
+++ b/examples/more_garbow_hillstrom.cc
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@
 }  // namespace ceres
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
-  google::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
+  CERES_GFLAGS_NAMESPACE::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
   google::InitGoogleLogging(argv[0]);
 
   using ceres::examples::UnconstrainedSolve;
diff --git a/examples/nist.cc b/examples/nist.cc
index 607561a..8c91a29 100644
--- a/examples/nist.cc
+++ b/examples/nist.cc
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@
 }  // namespace ceres
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
-  google::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
+  CERES_GFLAGS_NAMESPACE::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
   google::InitGoogleLogging(argv[0]);
   ceres::examples::SolveNISTProblems();
   return 0;
diff --git a/examples/powell.cc b/examples/powell.cc
index c0cba02..1c2e857 100644
--- a/examples/powell.cc
+++ b/examples/powell.cc
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
               "Minimizer type to use, choices are: line_search & trust_region");
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
-  google::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
+  CERES_GFLAGS_NAMESPACE::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
   google::InitGoogleLogging(argv[0]);
 
   double x1 =  3.0;
diff --git a/examples/robot_pose_mle.cc b/examples/robot_pose_mle.cc
index e1a1dd0..13574f1 100644
--- a/examples/robot_pose_mle.cc
+++ b/examples/robot_pose_mle.cc
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
   google::InitGoogleLogging(argv[0]);
-  google::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
+  CERES_GFLAGS_NAMESPACE::ParseCommandLineFlags(&argc, &argv, true);
   // Make sure that the arguments parsed are all positive.
   CHECK_GT(FLAGS_corridor_length, 0.0);
   CHECK_GT(FLAGS_pose_separation, 0.0);