diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 38079041d55..753841d166a 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ fi
 # Append CC optimization flags to bazel.rc
 echo >> tools/bazel.rc
 for opt in $CC_OPT_FLAGS; do
-  echo "build --cxxopt=$opt --copt=$opt" >> tools/bazel.rc
+  echo "build:opt --cxxopt=$opt --copt=$opt" >> tools/bazel.rc
 done
 
 # Run the gen_git_source to create links where bazel can track dependencies for
diff --git a/tools/bazel.rc.template b/tools/bazel.rc.template
index a1fb55632cd..3f087956701 100644
--- a/tools/bazel.rc.template
+++ b/tools/bazel.rc.template
@@ -27,3 +27,7 @@ run --spawn_strategy=standalone
 build --genrule_strategy=standalone
 test --genrule_strategy=standalone
 run --genrule_strategy=standalone
+
+build -c opt
+test -c opt
+run -c opt