diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 785893506..3a8cceabd 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -289,6 +289,35 @@ if test -z "$TYPEU64"; then
 fi
 
 
+dnl
+dnl Verify that PRId64 and PRIu64 are available
+dnl
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(for PRId64 and PRIu64)
+AC_CACHE_VAL(ac_cv_has_prix64,[
+  AC_TRY_COMPILE([
+#if HAVE_INTTYPES_H
+# include <inttypes.h>
+#endif
+#if HAVE_STDINT_H
+# include <stdint.h>
+#endif
+#if HAVE_SYS_TYPES_H
+# include <sys/types.h>
+#endif
+    ],
+    [char *dummy = "text " PRId64 " text " PRIu64;],
+    ac_cv_has_prix64=yes,
+    ac_cv_has_prix64=no)
+  ])
+AC_MSG_RESULT($ac_cv_has_prix64)
+
+if test x$ac_cv_has_prix64 = "xno" ; then
+  echo "*** On your system the #define PRId64 and/or PRIu64 was not found."
+  echo "*** These are required for compilation. Please contact the author."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+
 dnl
 dnl Check for posix_fadvise and its definitions
 dnl