diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 395ff766..b5fb6f03 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -36,11 +36,12 @@ AC_C_INLINE
 AC_TYPE_SIZE_T
 AC_STRUCT_TM
 
-dnl Checks for library functions.
+#Check if the compiler support attributes
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(if compiler allows __attribute__)
+AC_TRY_COMPILE([], [typedef struct { } __attribute__ ((packed)) junk;], 
+    [ AC_MSG_RESULT(yes);AC_DEFINE(C_HAS_ATTRIBUTE)],AC_MSG_RESULT(no))
 
 
-#Always include the standard include dir in all makefiless
-
 AC_OUTPUT([ 
 Makefile
 src/Makefile