diff --git a/ac/c++11.m4 b/ac/c++11.m4
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3c9262bc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ac/c++11.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,204 @@
+AC_DEFUN([AX_CXX_STD_CXX0X_FLAG],[
+  AC_CACHE_CHECK([for support for the "-std=c++0x" flag], [ax_cv_std_cxx0x_flag],[
+
+    CXXFLAGS_SAVED=$CXXFLAGS
+    CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS -std=c++0x"
+    export CXXFLAGS
+
+    AC_LANG_PUSH(C++)
+    AC_TRY_COMPILE(
+      [],
+      [true;],
+      [ax_cv_std_cxx0x_flag="yes"],
+      [ax_cv_std_cxx0x_flag="no"])
+    AC_LANG_POP
+
+    CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS_SAVED"
+  ])
+
+  STD_CXX0X=""
+  if test x"$ax_cv_std_cxx0x_flag" = xyes ; then
+    STD_CXX0X=-std=c++0x
+  fi
+  AC_SUBST(STD_CXX0X)
+])
+
+AC_DEFUN([AX_CXX11_INITIALIZER_LISTS],[
+  AC_CACHE_CHECK([for support for C++11 feature "initializer lists"], [ax_cv_cxx11_initializer_lists],[
+
+    CXXFLAGS_SAVED=$CXXFLAGS
+    CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS $STD_CXX0X"
+    export CXXFLAGS
+
+    AC_LANG_PUSH(C++)
+    AC_TRY_COMPILE(
+      [
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
+],
+      [std::vector<std::string> listy = { "asd", "qwe", "123" };],
+      [ax_cv_cxx11_initializer_lists="yes"],
+      [ax_cv_cxx11_initializer_lists="no"])
+    AC_LANG_POP
+
+    CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS_SAVED"
+  ])
+
+  if ! test x"$ax_cv_cxx11_initializer_lists" = xyes ; then
+    missing_cxx11_features="$missing_cxx11_features\n  * initializer lists"
+  fi
+])
+
+AC_DEFUN([AX_CXX11_RANGE_BASED_FOR],[
+  AC_CACHE_CHECK([for support for C++11 feature "range-based 'for'"], [ax_cv_cxx11_range_based_for],[
+
+    CXXFLAGS_SAVED=$CXXFLAGS
+    CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS $STD_CXX0X"
+    export CXXFLAGS
+
+    AC_LANG_PUSH(C++)
+    AC_TRY_COMPILE(
+      [
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
+],[
+std::string total;
+std::vector<std::string> listy = { "asd", "qwe", "123" };
+for (std::string &s : listy)
+  total += s;
+],
+      [ax_cv_cxx11_range_based_for="yes"],
+      [ax_cv_cxx11_range_based_for="no"])
+    AC_LANG_POP
+
+    CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS_SAVED"
+  ])
+
+  if ! test x"$ax_cv_cxx11_range_based_for" = xyes ; then
+    missing_cxx11_features="$missing_cxx11_features\n  * range-based 'for'"
+  fi
+])
+
+AC_DEFUN([AX_CXX11_RIGHT_ANGLE_BRACKETS],[
+  AC_CACHE_CHECK([for support for C++11 feature "right angle brackets"], [ax_cv_cxx11_right_angle_brackets],[
+
+    CXXFLAGS_SAVED=$CXXFLAGS
+    CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS $STD_CXX0X"
+    export CXXFLAGS
+
+    AC_LANG_PUSH(C++)
+    AC_TRY_COMPILE(
+      [
+#include <map>
+#include <vector>
+
+typedef std::map<int, std::vector<int>> unicorn;
+],
+      [unicorn charlie;],
+      [ax_cv_cxx11_right_angle_brackets="yes"],
+      [ax_cv_cxx11_right_angle_brackets="no"])
+    AC_LANG_POP
+
+    CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS_SAVED"
+  ])
+
+  if ! test x"$ax_cv_cxx11_right_angle_brackets" = xyes ; then
+    missing_cxx11_features="$missing_cxx11_features\n  * right angle brackets"
+  fi
+])
+
+AC_DEFUN([AX_CXX11_AUTO_KEYWORD],[
+  AC_CACHE_CHECK([for support for C++11 feature "'auto' keyword"], [ax_cv_cxx11_auto_keyword],[
+
+    CXXFLAGS_SAVED=$CXXFLAGS
+    CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS $STD_CXX0X"
+    export CXXFLAGS
+
+    AC_LANG_PUSH(C++)
+    AC_TRY_COMPILE(
+      [
+#include <vector>
+],[
+  std::vector<unsigned int> listy;
+  unsigned int sum = 0;
+  for (auto i = listy.begin(); i < listy.end(); i++)
+    sum += *i;
+],
+      [ax_cv_cxx11_auto_keyword="yes"],
+      [ax_cv_cxx11_auto_keyword="no"])
+    AC_LANG_POP
+
+    CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS_SAVED"
+  ])
+
+  if ! test x"$ax_cv_cxx11_auto_keyword" = xyes ; then
+    missing_cxx11_features="$missing_cxx11_features\n  * 'auto' keyword"
+  fi
+])
+
+AC_DEFUN([AX_CXX11_LAMBDA_FUNCTIONS],[
+  AC_CACHE_CHECK([for support for C++11 feature "lambda functions"], [ax_cv_cxx11_lambda_functions],[
+
+    CXXFLAGS_SAVED=$CXXFLAGS
+    CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS $STD_CXX0X"
+    export CXXFLAGS
+
+    AC_LANG_PUSH(C++)
+    AC_TRY_COMPILE(
+      [
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <vector>
+],
+      [
+std::vector<unsigned int> listy;
+unsigned int sum = 0;
+std::for_each(listy.begin(), listy.end(), [&](unsigned int i) { sum += i; });
+],
+      [ax_cv_cxx11_lambda_functions="yes"],
+      [ax_cv_cxx11_lambda_functions="no"])
+    AC_LANG_POP
+
+    CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS_SAVED"
+  ])
+
+  if ! test x"$ax_cv_cxx11_lambda_functions" = xyes ; then
+    missing_cxx11_features="$missing_cxx11_features\n  * lambda functions"
+  fi
+])
+
+dnl AC_DEFUN([AX_CXX11_DEF_NAME],[
+dnl   AC_CACHE_CHECK([for support for C++11 feature "human"], [ax_cv_cxx11_def_name],[
+dnl
+dnl     CXXFLAGS_SAVED=$CXXFLAGS
+dnl     CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS $STD_CXX0X"
+dnl     export CXXFLAGS
+dnl
+dnl     AC_LANG_PUSH(C++)
+dnl     AC_TRY_COMPILE(
+dnl       [],
+dnl       [],
+dnl       [ax_cv_cxx11_def_name="yes"],
+dnl       [ax_cv_cxx11_def_name="no"])
+dnl     AC_LANG_POP
+dnl
+dnl     CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS_SAVED"
+dnl   ])
+dnl
+dnl   if ! test x"$ax_cv_cxx11_def_name" = xyes ; then
+dnl     missing_cxx11_features="$missing_cxx11_features\n  * human"
+dnl   fi
+dnl ])
+
+AX_CXX_STD_CXX0X_FLAG
+AX_CXX11_INITIALIZER_LISTS
+AX_CXX11_RANGE_BASED_FOR
+AX_CXX11_RIGHT_ANGLE_BRACKETS
+AX_CXX11_AUTO_KEYWORD
+AX_CXX11_LAMBDA_FUNCTIONS
+
+if test x"$missing_cxx11_features" != x ; then
+  printf "The following features of the C++11 standard are not supported by $CXX:$missing_cxx11_features\n"
+  printf "If you are using the GNU C compiler collection (gcc) then you need\n"
+  printf "at least v4.6.\n"
+  AC_MSG_ERROR([support for required C++11 features incomplete])
+fi
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index ab0b67299..7caa02acb 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ m4_include(ac/pkg.m4)
 m4_include(ac/initialization.m4)
 m4_include(ac/check_version.m4)
 m4_include(ac/gcc_version.m4)
+m4_include(ac/c++11.m4)
 m4_include(ac/endianess.m4)
 m4_include(ac/mingw.m4)
 m4_include(ac/extra_inc_lib.m4)