diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 763d654..65d4d45 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -195,6 +195,12 @@ if (NOT ENABLE_THREAD_LOCAL)
         PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS ${META_PROJECT_VARNAME}_NO_THREAD_LOCAL)
 endif ()
 
+# configure use of platform-specific APIs for optimizing CopyHelper
+option(USE_PLATFORM_SPECIFIC_API_FOR_OPTIMIZING_COPY_HELPER "enables use of platform-specific APIs for optimizing CopyHelper" ON)
+if (USE_PLATFORM_SPECIFIC_API_FOR_OPTIMIZING_COPY_HELPER)
+    list(APPEND META_PUBLIC_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS ${META_PROJECT_VARNAME}_USE_PLATFORM_SPECIFIC_API_FOR_OPTIMIZING_COPY_HELPER)
+endif ()
+
 # include modules to apply configuration
 include(BasicConfig)
 include(WindowsResources)
diff --git a/io/copy.h b/io/copy.h
index 6edae23..134484b 100644
--- a/io/copy.h
+++ b/io/copy.h
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #define IOUTILITIES_COPY_H
 
 #include "./nativefilestream.h"
-#if defined(CPP_UTILITIES_USE_NATIVE_FILE_BUFFER) && defined(PLATFORM_LINUX)
+#if defined(CPP_UTILITIES_USE_PLATFORM_SPECIFIC_API_FOR_OPTIMIZING_COPY_HELPER) && defined(CPP_UTILITIES_USE_NATIVE_FILE_BUFFER) && defined(PLATFORM_LINUX)
 #define CPP_UTILITIES_USE_SEND_FILE
 #include "../conversion/stringbuilder.h"
 #endif