diff --git a/include/flatcc/flatcc.h b/include/flatcc/flatcc.h
index 04eb187f..4098690f 100644
--- a/include/flatcc/flatcc.h
+++ b/include/flatcc/flatcc.h
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ struct flatcc_options {
     int cgen_recursive;
     int cgen_spacing;
     int cgen_no_conflicts;
-
+    int cgen;
 
     int bgen_bfbs;
     int bgen_qualify_names;
diff --git a/src/cli/flatcc_cli.c b/src/cli/flatcc_cli.c
index ee5b4038..7d57cc05 100644
--- a/src/cli/flatcc_cli.c
+++ b/src/cli/flatcc_cli.c
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ int main(int argc, const char *argv[])
 {
     flatcc_options_t opts;
     flatcc_context_t ctx = 0;
-    int i, ret, cgen;
+    int i, ret;
     const char **src;
 
     ctx = 0;
@@ -447,14 +447,15 @@ int main(int argc, const char *argv[])
         ctx = 0;
         goto done;
     }
-    cgen = opts.cgen_reader || opts.cgen_builder || opts.cgen_verifier
+    opts.cgen = opts.cgen_reader || opts.cgen_builder || opts.cgen_verifier
         || opts.cgen_common_reader || opts.cgen_common_builder
         || opts.cgen_json_parser || opts.cgen_json_printer;
-    if (!opts.bgen_bfbs && (!cgen || opts.cgen_builder || opts.cgen_verifier)) {
+    if (!opts.bgen_bfbs && (!opts.cgen || opts.cgen_builder || opts.cgen_verifier)) {
         /* Assume default if no other output specified when deps required it. */
         opts.cgen_reader = 1;
+        opts.cgen = 1;
     }
-    if (opts.bgen_bfbs && cgen) {
+    if (opts.bgen_bfbs && opts.cgen) {
         if (opts.gen_stdout) {
             fprintf(stderr, "--stdout cannot be used with mixed text and binary output\n");
             goto fail;
diff --git a/src/compiler/flatcc.c b/src/compiler/flatcc.c
index e9fa0a1a..b55897d7 100644
--- a/src/compiler/flatcc.c
+++ b/src/compiler/flatcc.c
@@ -471,12 +471,19 @@ int flatcc_generate_files(flatcc_context_t ctx)
         }
     }
 #endif
-
+#ifdef PR216
+    /* Note: P->opts.cgen now represents the below expression, and bfbs_gen is mutually exclusive with cgen */
     if (!(P->opts.cgen_reader | P->opts.cgen_builder | P->opts.cgen_verifier
         | P->opts.cgen_common_reader | P->opts.cgen_common_builder
         | P->opts.cgen_json_parser | P->opts.cgen_json_printer)) {
         return 0;
     }
+#else
+    /* Experimental alternative to PR216 */
+    if (P->opts.bgen_bfbs) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+#endif
     if (fb_init_output_c(out, &P->opts)) {
         return -1;
     }