diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 69656d4a6..532f0ccfc 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -558,8 +558,12 @@ if test "${THREAD_PACKAGE}" != "" ; then
     AC_DEFINE(GUILE_ISELECT, 1)
   fi
 
-  ## Workaround for linuxthreads (currently disabled)
-  if test $host_os = linux-gnu; then
+  AC_ARG_ENABLE(linuxthreads,
+  [  --disable-linuxthreads  disable linuxthreads workaround],,
+  enable_linuxthreads=yes)
+
+  ## Workaround for linuxthreads (optionally disabled)
+  if test $host_os = linux-gnu -a "$enable_linuxthreads" = yes; then
     AC_DEFINE(GUILE_PTHREAD_COMPAT, 1)
     AC_CHECK_LIB(pthread, main)
   fi