diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index d3028f60..fb613041 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -79,9 +79,17 @@ EOF
 
 AM_CONDITIONAL([ENABLE_DOCS], [test "x$enable_docs" != xno])
 
-AC_FIND_FUNC([pthread_key_create], [pthread], [#include <pthread.h>], [NULL, NULL])
-AC_FIND_FUNC([pthread_once], [pthread], [#include <pthread.h>], [NULL, NULL])
-AC_FIND_FUNC([atexit], [pthread], [#include <stdlib.h>], [NULL])
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([pthread-tls],
+              [AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-pthread-tls],
+                              [Enable use of pthread thread local storage])],
+              [],
+              [enable_pthread_tls=no])
+
+if test $enable_pthread_tls = yes; then
+    AC_FIND_FUNC([pthread_key_create], [pthread], [#include <pthread.h>], [NULL, NULL])
+    AC_FIND_FUNC([pthread_once], [pthread], [#include <pthread.h>], [NULL, NULL])
+    AC_FIND_FUNC([atexit], [pthread], [#include <stdlib.h>], [NULL])
+fi
 
 dnl Thread local storage
 have___thread=no