diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 8d1339a..d3211a0 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -1445,6 +1445,20 @@
 fi
 AC_MSG_RESULT($with_cycle_gc)
 
+# Check for universal newline support
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(for --with-universal-newline)
+AC_ARG_WITH(universal-newlines,
+[  --with(out)-universal-newlines            disable/enable foreign newlines])
+
+if test -z "$with_universal_newlines"
+then with_universal_newlines="yes"
+fi
+if test "$with_universal_newlines" != "no"
+then
+    AC_DEFINE(WITH_UNIVERSAL_NEWLINES)
+fi
+AC_MSG_RESULT($with_universal_newlines)
+
 # Check for Python-specific malloc support
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(for --with-pymalloc)
 AC_ARG_WITH(pymalloc,