diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 44d199c601299df09d6f5f1630aafe7923546d5c..45dd9724710e355f7e062bf49c367a5468047476 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ dnl ====================================
 dnl Set some general compile options
 dnl ====================================
 
+cflags_save="$CFLAGS"
+ldflags_save="$LDFLAGS"
 if test -z "$GCC"; then
         case $host in
         *-*-irix*)
@@ -64,6 +66,8 @@ else
                 PROFILE="-O20 -g -pg -D__NO_MATH_INLINES -fsigned-char" ;;
         esac
 fi
+CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $cflags_save"
+LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS $ldflags_save"
 
 
 AC_SUBST(DEBUG)