diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 2ce6ce0..f61a9ed 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ AC_CHECK_FUNCS([ftruncate gethostname gettimeofday localtime_r memmove memset mk
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([debug], AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-debug], [Enable debug build]))
 AC_ARG_WITH([openssl], AS_HELP_STRING([--without-openssl], [Disable SSL using OpenSSL]))  
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([oidentd], AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-oidentd], [Enable oidentd support (bip overwrites ~/.oidentd.conf with this on!)]))
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([pie], AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-pie], [Do not build a position independent executable]))
 
 AM_CONDITIONAL(DEBUG, test x$enable_debug = xyes)
-
 AS_IF([test "x$enable_debug" = "xyes"], [
 	CFLAGS="-O0 -g -W -Wall"
 	LDFLAGS="-g"
@@ -54,11 +54,16 @@ AS_IF([test "x$enable_debug" = "xyes"], [
 ], [
 	CFLAGS="-O2 -g -W -Wall"
 	LDFLAGS="-g"
+	enable_debug=no
 ])
+
+AM_CONDITIONAL(OIDENTD, test x$enable_identd = xyes)
 AS_IF([test "x$enable_oidentd" = "xyes"], [
 	AC_DEFINE([HAVE_OIDENTD], [], [Have bip edit ~/.oidentd.conf])
+], [
+    	enable_oidentd=no
 ])
-AM_CONDITIONAL(OIDENTD, test x$enable_identd = xyes)
+
 AS_IF([test "x$with_openssl" != "xno"], [
 	AC_CHECK_LIB(crypto, CRYPTO_new_ex_data, [], [
 		AC_MSG_ERROR([library 'crypto' is required for OpenSSL support])
@@ -68,6 +73,29 @@ AS_IF([test "x$with_openssl" != "xno"], [
 		AC_MSG_ERROR([library 'ssl' is required for OpenSSL support])
 		with_openssl=no
 	], -lssl)
+], [
+    	with_openssl=no
+])
+
+AS_IF([test "x$enable_pie" != "xno"], [
+	AC_CACHE_CHECK([whether $CC accepts PIE flags], [ap_cv_cc_pie], [
+		save_CFLAGS=$CFLAGS 
+		save_LDFLAGS=$LDFLAGS 
+		CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -fPIE" 
+		LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -pie" 
+		AC_TRY_RUN([static int foo[30000]; int main () { return 0; }],
+			[ap_cv_cc_pie=yes],
+			[ap_cv_cc_pie=no],
+			[ap_cv_cc_pie=yes]
+		) 
+		CFLAGS=$save_CFLAGS 
+		LDFLAGS=$save_LDFLAGS 
+	]) 
+	if test "$ap_cv_cc_pie" = "yes"; then 
+		CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -fPIE" 
+		LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -pie" 
+		enable_pie=yes
+	fi 
 ])
 
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile])
@@ -78,4 +106,5 @@ echo OPENSSL: yes
 ])
 echo DEBUG: $enable_debug $backtrace
 echo OIDENTD: $enable_oidentd
+echo PIE: $enable_pie