diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 47d50362327..443a37caa0e 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -15401,6 +15401,12 @@ LIBS=${ac_save_libs}
 LDFLAGS=${ac_save_ldflags}
 
 
+if test -n "$PTHREADLIB" ; then
+
+printf "%s\n" "#define HAVE_PTHREAD 1" >>confdefs.h
+
+fi
+
 fi # $USE_PTHREAD
 
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index e2ccdcc6b96..01d68020d50 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1902,6 +1902,10 @@ LOC_CHECK_FUNC(pthread_create,POSIX threads functions,PTHREADLIB,,,,,[
 LOC_CHECK_LIBS(pthread,pthread_create,POSIX threads,$PTHREADLIBPATH,PTHREADLIB,,,)
 ])
 
+if test -n "$PTHREADLIB" ; then
+    AC_DEFINE(HAVE_PTHREAD, 1, [Define to 1 if POSIX threads are available.])
+fi
+
 fi # $USE_PTHREAD
 
 AC_SUBST(PTHREADINCPATH)
diff --git a/include/grass/config.h.in b/include/grass/config.h.in
index d7663c6a81d..6508da7b99b 100644
--- a/include/grass/config.h.in
+++ b/include/grass/config.h.in
@@ -165,6 +165,9 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <proj.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_PROJ_H
 
+/* Define to 1 if POSIX threads are available. */
+#undef HAVE_PTHREAD
+
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <pthread.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_PTHREAD_H