diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index ad6c76b64..e0937787f 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -34,11 +34,11 @@ FROMDOS=/home/cmunk/bin/4dos
 #
 
 #XCFLAGS=-O -g -export-dynamic
-IRCDLIBS=@IRCDLIBS@ @TRE_LIBS@ @PCRE2_LIBS@ @CARES_LIBS@
+IRCDLIBS=@IRCDLIBS@ @TRE_LIBS@ @PCRE2_LIBS@ @CARES_LIBS@ @PTHREAD_LIBS@
 CRYPTOLIB=@CRYPTOLIB@
 OPENSSLINCLUDES=
 
-XCFLAGS=@TRE_CFLAGS@ @PCRE2_CFLAGS@ @CARES_CFLAGS@ @CFLAGS@
+XCFLAGS=@PTHREAD_CFLAGS@ @TRE_CFLAGS@ @PCRE2_CFLAGS@ @CARES_CFLAGS@ @CFLAGS@
 #
 # use the following on MIPS:
 #CFLAGS= -systype bsd43 -DSYSTYPE_BSD43 -I$(INCLUDEDIR)
diff --git a/config.guess b/autoconf/config.guess
similarity index 100%
rename from config.guess
rename to autoconf/config.guess
diff --git a/config.sub b/autoconf/config.sub
similarity index 100%
rename from config.sub
rename to autoconf/config.sub
diff --git a/autoconf/m4/ax_pthread.m4 b/autoconf/m4/ax_pthread.m4
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d383ad5c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autoconf/m4/ax_pthread.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,332 @@
+# ===========================================================================
+#        http://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf-archive/ax_pthread.html
+# ===========================================================================
+#
+# SYNOPSIS
+#
+#   AX_PTHREAD([ACTION-IF-FOUND[, ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND]])
+#
+# DESCRIPTION
+#
+#   This macro figures out how to build C programs using POSIX threads. It
+#   sets the PTHREAD_LIBS output variable to the threads library and linker
+#   flags, and the PTHREAD_CFLAGS output variable to any special C compiler
+#   flags that are needed. (The user can also force certain compiler
+#   flags/libs to be tested by setting these environment variables.)
+#
+#   Also sets PTHREAD_CC to any special C compiler that is needed for
+#   multi-threaded programs (defaults to the value of CC otherwise). (This
+#   is necessary on AIX to use the special cc_r compiler alias.)
+#
+#   NOTE: You are assumed to not only compile your program with these flags,
+#   but also link it with them as well. e.g. you should link with
+#   $PTHREAD_CC $CFLAGS $PTHREAD_CFLAGS $LDFLAGS ... $PTHREAD_LIBS $LIBS
+#
+#   If you are only building threads programs, you may wish to use these
+#   variables in your default LIBS, CFLAGS, and CC:
+#
+#     LIBS="$PTHREAD_LIBS $LIBS"
+#     CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $PTHREAD_CFLAGS"
+#     CC="$PTHREAD_CC"
+#
+#   In addition, if the PTHREAD_CREATE_JOINABLE thread-attribute constant
+#   has a nonstandard name, defines PTHREAD_CREATE_JOINABLE to that name
+#   (e.g. PTHREAD_CREATE_UNDETACHED on AIX).
+#
+#   Also HAVE_PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT is defined if pthread is found and the
+#   PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT symbol is defined when compiling with
+#   PTHREAD_CFLAGS.
+#
+#   ACTION-IF-FOUND is a list of shell commands to run if a threads library
+#   is found, and ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND is a list of commands to run it if it
+#   is not found. If ACTION-IF-FOUND is not specified, the default action
+#   will define HAVE_PTHREAD.
+#
+#   Please let the authors know if this macro fails on any platform, or if
+#   you have any other suggestions or comments. This macro was based on work
+#   by SGJ on autoconf scripts for FFTW (http://www.fftw.org/) (with help
+#   from M. Frigo), as well as ac_pthread and hb_pthread macros posted by
+#   Alejandro Forero Cuervo to the autoconf macro repository. We are also
+#   grateful for the helpful feedback of numerous users.
+#
+#   Updated for Autoconf 2.68 by Daniel Richard G.
+#
+# LICENSE
+#
+#   Copyright (c) 2008 Steven G. Johnson <stevenj@alum.mit.edu>
+#   Copyright (c) 2011 Daniel Richard G. <skunk@iSKUNK.ORG>
+#
+#   This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+#   under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+#   Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your
+#   option) any later version.
+#
+#   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+#   WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+#   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General
+#   Public License for more details.
+#
+#   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+#   with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+#   As a special exception, the respective Autoconf Macro's copyright owner
+#   gives unlimited permission to copy, distribute and modify the configure
+#   scripts that are the output of Autoconf when processing the Macro. You
+#   need not follow the terms of the GNU General Public License when using
+#   or distributing such scripts, even though portions of the text of the
+#   Macro appear in them. The GNU General Public License (GPL) does govern
+#   all other use of the material that constitutes the Autoconf Macro.
+#
+#   This special exception to the GPL applies to versions of the Autoconf
+#   Macro released by the Autoconf Archive. When you make and distribute a
+#   modified version of the Autoconf Macro, you may extend this special
+#   exception to the GPL to apply to your modified version as well.
+
+#serial 21
+
+AU_ALIAS([ACX_PTHREAD], [AX_PTHREAD])
+AC_DEFUN([AX_PTHREAD], [
+AC_REQUIRE([AC_CANONICAL_HOST])
+AC_LANG_PUSH([C])
+ax_pthread_ok=no
+
+# We used to check for pthread.h first, but this fails if pthread.h
+# requires special compiler flags (e.g. on True64 or Sequent).
+# It gets checked for in the link test anyway.
+
+# First of all, check if the user has set any of the PTHREAD_LIBS,
+# etcetera environment variables, and if threads linking works using
+# them:
+if test x"$PTHREAD_LIBS$PTHREAD_CFLAGS" != x; then
+        save_CFLAGS="$CFLAGS"
+        CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $PTHREAD_CFLAGS"
+        save_LIBS="$LIBS"
+        LIBS="$PTHREAD_LIBS $LIBS"
+        AC_MSG_CHECKING([for pthread_join in LIBS=$PTHREAD_LIBS with CFLAGS=$PTHREAD_CFLAGS])
+        AC_TRY_LINK_FUNC([pthread_join], [ax_pthread_ok=yes])
+        AC_MSG_RESULT([$ax_pthread_ok])
+        if test x"$ax_pthread_ok" = xno; then
+                PTHREAD_LIBS=""
+                PTHREAD_CFLAGS=""
+        fi
+        LIBS="$save_LIBS"
+        CFLAGS="$save_CFLAGS"
+fi
+
+# We must check for the threads library under a number of different
+# names; the ordering is very important because some systems
+# (e.g. DEC) have both -lpthread and -lpthreads, where one of the
+# libraries is broken (non-POSIX).
+
+# Create a list of thread flags to try.  Items starting with a "-" are
+# C compiler flags, and other items are library names, except for "none"
+# which indicates that we try without any flags at all, and "pthread-config"
+# which is a program returning the flags for the Pth emulation library.
+
+ax_pthread_flags="pthreads none -Kthread -kthread lthread -pthread -pthreads -mthreads pthread --thread-safe -mt pthread-config"
+
+# The ordering *is* (sometimes) important.  Some notes on the
+# individual items follow:
+
+# pthreads: AIX (must check this before -lpthread)
+# none: in case threads are in libc; should be tried before -Kthread and
+#       other compiler flags to prevent continual compiler warnings
+# -Kthread: Sequent (threads in libc, but -Kthread needed for pthread.h)
+# -kthread: FreeBSD kernel threads (preferred to -pthread since SMP-able)
+# lthread: LinuxThreads port on FreeBSD (also preferred to -pthread)
+# -pthread: Linux/gcc (kernel threads), BSD/gcc (userland threads)
+# -pthreads: Solaris/gcc
+# -mthreads: Mingw32/gcc, Lynx/gcc
+# -mt: Sun Workshop C (may only link SunOS threads [-lthread], but it
+#      doesn't hurt to check since this sometimes defines pthreads too;
+#      also defines -D_REENTRANT)
+#      ... -mt is also the pthreads flag for HP/aCC
+# pthread: Linux, etcetera
+# --thread-safe: KAI C++
+# pthread-config: use pthread-config program (for GNU Pth library)
+
+case ${host_os} in
+        solaris*)
+
+        # On Solaris (at least, for some versions), libc contains stubbed
+        # (non-functional) versions of the pthreads routines, so link-based
+        # tests will erroneously succeed.  (We need to link with -pthreads/-mt/
+        # -lpthread.)  (The stubs are missing pthread_cleanup_push, or rather
+        # a function called by this macro, so we could check for that, but
+        # who knows whether they'll stub that too in a future libc.)  So,
+        # we'll just look for -pthreads and -lpthread first:
+
+        ax_pthread_flags="-pthreads pthread -mt -pthread $ax_pthread_flags"
+        ;;
+
+        darwin*)
+        ax_pthread_flags="-pthread $ax_pthread_flags"
+        ;;
+esac
+
+# Clang doesn't consider unrecognized options an error unless we specify
+# -Werror. We throw in some extra Clang-specific options to ensure that
+# this doesn't happen for GCC, which also accepts -Werror.
+
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([if compiler needs -Werror to reject unknown flags])
+save_CFLAGS="$CFLAGS"
+ax_pthread_extra_flags="-Werror"
+CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $ax_pthread_extra_flags -Wunknown-warning-option -Wsizeof-array-argument"
+AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([int foo(void);],[foo()])],
+                  [AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])],
+                  [ax_pthread_extra_flags=
+                   AC_MSG_RESULT([no])])
+CFLAGS="$save_CFLAGS"
+
+if test x"$ax_pthread_ok" = xno; then
+for flag in $ax_pthread_flags; do
+
+        case $flag in
+                none)
+                AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether pthreads work without any flags])
+                ;;
+
+                -*)
+                AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether pthreads work with $flag])
+                PTHREAD_CFLAGS="$flag"
+                ;;
+
+                pthread-config)
+                AC_CHECK_PROG([ax_pthread_config], [pthread-config], [yes], [no])
+                if test x"$ax_pthread_config" = xno; then continue; fi
+                PTHREAD_CFLAGS="`pthread-config --cflags`"
+                PTHREAD_LIBS="`pthread-config --ldflags` `pthread-config --libs`"
+                ;;
+
+                *)
+                AC_MSG_CHECKING([for the pthreads library -l$flag])
+                PTHREAD_LIBS="-l$flag"
+                ;;
+        esac
+
+        save_LIBS="$LIBS"
+        save_CFLAGS="$CFLAGS"
+        LIBS="$PTHREAD_LIBS $LIBS"
+        CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $PTHREAD_CFLAGS $ax_pthread_extra_flags"
+
+        # Check for various functions.  We must include pthread.h,
+        # since some functions may be macros.  (On the Sequent, we
+        # need a special flag -Kthread to make this header compile.)
+        # We check for pthread_join because it is in -lpthread on IRIX
+        # while pthread_create is in libc.  We check for pthread_attr_init
+        # due to DEC craziness with -lpthreads.  We check for
+        # pthread_cleanup_push because it is one of the few pthread
+        # functions on Solaris that doesn't have a non-functional libc stub.
+        # We try pthread_create on general principles.
+        AC_LINK_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([#include <pthread.h>
+                        static void routine(void *a) { a = 0; }
+                        static void *start_routine(void *a) { return a; }],
+                       [pthread_t th; pthread_attr_t attr;
+                        pthread_create(&th, 0, start_routine, 0);
+                        pthread_join(th, 0);
+                        pthread_attr_init(&attr);
+                        pthread_cleanup_push(routine, 0);
+                        pthread_cleanup_pop(0) /* ; */])],
+                [ax_pthread_ok=yes],
+                [])
+
+        LIBS="$save_LIBS"
+        CFLAGS="$save_CFLAGS"
+
+        AC_MSG_RESULT([$ax_pthread_ok])
+        if test "x$ax_pthread_ok" = xyes; then
+                break;
+        fi
+
+        PTHREAD_LIBS=""
+        PTHREAD_CFLAGS=""
+done
+fi
+
+# Various other checks:
+if test "x$ax_pthread_ok" = xyes; then
+        save_LIBS="$LIBS"
+        LIBS="$PTHREAD_LIBS $LIBS"
+        save_CFLAGS="$CFLAGS"
+        CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $PTHREAD_CFLAGS"
+
+        # Detect AIX lossage: JOINABLE attribute is called UNDETACHED.
+        AC_MSG_CHECKING([for joinable pthread attribute])
+        attr_name=unknown
+        for attr in PTHREAD_CREATE_JOINABLE PTHREAD_CREATE_UNDETACHED; do
+            AC_LINK_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([#include <pthread.h>],
+                           [int attr = $attr; return attr /* ; */])],
+                [attr_name=$attr; break],
+                [])
+        done
+        AC_MSG_RESULT([$attr_name])
+        if test "$attr_name" != PTHREAD_CREATE_JOINABLE; then
+            AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([PTHREAD_CREATE_JOINABLE], [$attr_name],
+                               [Define to necessary symbol if this constant
+                                uses a non-standard name on your system.])
+        fi
+
+        AC_MSG_CHECKING([if more special flags are required for pthreads])
+        flag=no
+        case ${host_os} in
+            aix* | freebsd* | darwin*) flag="-D_THREAD_SAFE";;
+            osf* | hpux*) flag="-D_REENTRANT";;
+            solaris*)
+            if test "$GCC" = "yes"; then
+                flag="-D_REENTRANT"
+            else
+                # TODO: What about Clang on Solaris?
+                flag="-mt -D_REENTRANT"
+            fi
+            ;;
+        esac
+        AC_MSG_RESULT([$flag])
+        if test "x$flag" != xno; then
+            PTHREAD_CFLAGS="$flag $PTHREAD_CFLAGS"
+        fi
+
+        AC_CACHE_CHECK([for PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT],
+            [ax_cv_PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT], [
+                AC_LINK_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[#include <pthread.h>]],
+                                                [[int i = PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT;]])],
+                    [ax_cv_PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT=yes],
+                    [ax_cv_PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT=no])
+            ])
+        AS_IF([test "x$ax_cv_PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT" = "xyes"],
+            [AC_DEFINE([HAVE_PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT], [1], [Have PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT.])])
+
+        LIBS="$save_LIBS"
+        CFLAGS="$save_CFLAGS"
+
+        # More AIX lossage: compile with *_r variant
+        if test "x$GCC" != xyes; then
+            case $host_os in
+                aix*)
+                AS_CASE(["x/$CC"],
+                  [x*/c89|x*/c89_128|x*/c99|x*/c99_128|x*/cc|x*/cc128|x*/xlc|x*/xlc_v6|x*/xlc128|x*/xlc128_v6],
+                  [#handle absolute path differently from PATH based program lookup
+                   AS_CASE(["x$CC"],
+                     [x/*],
+                     [AS_IF([AS_EXECUTABLE_P([${CC}_r])],[PTHREAD_CC="${CC}_r"])],
+                     [AC_CHECK_PROGS([PTHREAD_CC],[${CC}_r],[$CC])])])
+                ;;
+            esac
+        fi
+fi
+
+test -n "$PTHREAD_CC" || PTHREAD_CC="$CC"
+
+AC_SUBST([PTHREAD_LIBS])
+AC_SUBST([PTHREAD_CFLAGS])
+AC_SUBST([PTHREAD_CC])
+
+# Finally, execute ACTION-IF-FOUND/ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND:
+if test x"$ax_pthread_ok" = xyes; then
+        ifelse([$1],,[AC_DEFINE([HAVE_PTHREAD],[1],[Define if you have POSIX threads libraries and header files.])],[$1])
+        :
+else
+        ax_pthread_ok=no
+        $2
+fi
+AC_LANG_POP
+])dnl AX_PTHREAD
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 8bd52567f..7afe98ed1 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -626,6 +626,18 @@ ac_subst_vars='LTLIBOBJS
 LIBOBJS
 UNRLINCDIR
 URL
+PTHREAD_CFLAGS
+PTHREAD_LIBS
+PTHREAD_CC
+ax_pthread_config
+host_os
+host_vendor
+host_cpu
+host
+build_os
+build_vendor
+build_cpu
+build
 CARES_LIBS
 CARES_CFLAGS
 PCRE2_LIBS
@@ -1340,6 +1352,10 @@ Fine tuning of the installation directories:
 _ACEOF
 
   cat <<\_ACEOF
+
+System types:
+  --build=BUILD     configure for building on BUILD [guessed]
+  --host=HOST       cross-compile to build programs to run on HOST [BUILD]
 _ACEOF
 fi
 
@@ -7129,6 +7145,520 @@ fi
 
 fi
 
+# Make sure we can run config.sub.
+$SHELL "$ac_aux_dir/config.sub" sun4 >/dev/null 2>&1 ||
+  as_fn_error $? "cannot run $SHELL $ac_aux_dir/config.sub" "$LINENO" 5
+
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking build system type" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking build system type... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_build+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  ac_build_alias=$build_alias
+test "x$ac_build_alias" = x &&
+  ac_build_alias=`$SHELL "$ac_aux_dir/config.guess"`
+test "x$ac_build_alias" = x &&
+  as_fn_error $? "cannot guess build type; you must specify one" "$LINENO" 5
+ac_cv_build=`$SHELL "$ac_aux_dir/config.sub" $ac_build_alias` ||
+  as_fn_error $? "$SHELL $ac_aux_dir/config.sub $ac_build_alias failed" "$LINENO" 5
+
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_build" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_build" >&6; }
+case $ac_cv_build in
+*-*-*) ;;
+*) as_fn_error $? "invalid value of canonical build" "$LINENO" 5;;
+esac
+build=$ac_cv_build
+ac_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS='-'
+set x $ac_cv_build
+shift
+build_cpu=$1
+build_vendor=$2
+shift; shift
+# Remember, the first character of IFS is used to create $*,
+# except with old shells:
+build_os=$*
+IFS=$ac_save_IFS
+case $build_os in *\ *) build_os=`echo "$build_os" | sed 's/ /-/g'`;; esac
+
+
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking host system type" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking host system type... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_host+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  if test "x$host_alias" = x; then
+  ac_cv_host=$ac_cv_build
+else
+  ac_cv_host=`$SHELL "$ac_aux_dir/config.sub" $host_alias` ||
+    as_fn_error $? "$SHELL $ac_aux_dir/config.sub $host_alias failed" "$LINENO" 5
+fi
+
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_host" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_host" >&6; }
+case $ac_cv_host in
+*-*-*) ;;
+*) as_fn_error $? "invalid value of canonical host" "$LINENO" 5;;
+esac
+host=$ac_cv_host
+ac_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS='-'
+set x $ac_cv_host
+shift
+host_cpu=$1
+host_vendor=$2
+shift; shift
+# Remember, the first character of IFS is used to create $*,
+# except with old shells:
+host_os=$*
+IFS=$ac_save_IFS
+case $host_os in *\ *) host_os=`echo "$host_os" | sed 's/ /-/g'`;; esac
+
+
+
+
+ac_ext=c
+ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
+ac_compile='$CC -c $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
+ac_link='$CC -o conftest$ac_exeext $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS $LDFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext $LIBS >&5'
+ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu
+
+ax_pthread_ok=no
+
+# We used to check for pthread.h first, but this fails if pthread.h
+# requires special compiler flags (e.g. on True64 or Sequent).
+# It gets checked for in the link test anyway.
+
+# First of all, check if the user has set any of the PTHREAD_LIBS,
+# etcetera environment variables, and if threads linking works using
+# them:
+if test x"$PTHREAD_LIBS$PTHREAD_CFLAGS" != x; then
+        save_CFLAGS="$CFLAGS"
+        CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $PTHREAD_CFLAGS"
+        save_LIBS="$LIBS"
+        LIBS="$PTHREAD_LIBS $LIBS"
+        { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for pthread_join in LIBS=$PTHREAD_LIBS with CFLAGS=$PTHREAD_CFLAGS" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for pthread_join in LIBS=$PTHREAD_LIBS with CFLAGS=$PTHREAD_CFLAGS... " >&6; }
+        cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+
+/* Override any GCC internal prototype to avoid an error.
+   Use char because int might match the return type of a GCC
+   builtin and then its argument prototype would still apply.  */
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C"
+#endif
+char pthread_join ();
+int
+main ()
+{
+return pthread_join ();
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
+  ax_pthread_ok=yes
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
+    conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
+        { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ax_pthread_ok" >&5
+$as_echo "$ax_pthread_ok" >&6; }
+        if test x"$ax_pthread_ok" = xno; then
+                PTHREAD_LIBS=""
+                PTHREAD_CFLAGS=""
+        fi
+        LIBS="$save_LIBS"
+        CFLAGS="$save_CFLAGS"
+fi
+
+# We must check for the threads library under a number of different
+# names; the ordering is very important because some systems
+# (e.g. DEC) have both -lpthread and -lpthreads, where one of the
+# libraries is broken (non-POSIX).
+
+# Create a list of thread flags to try.  Items starting with a "-" are
+# C compiler flags, and other items are library names, except for "none"
+# which indicates that we try without any flags at all, and "pthread-config"
+# which is a program returning the flags for the Pth emulation library.
+
+ax_pthread_flags="pthreads none -Kthread -kthread lthread -pthread -pthreads -mthreads pthread --thread-safe -mt pthread-config"
+
+# The ordering *is* (sometimes) important.  Some notes on the
+# individual items follow:
+
+# pthreads: AIX (must check this before -lpthread)
+# none: in case threads are in libc; should be tried before -Kthread and
+#       other compiler flags to prevent continual compiler warnings
+# -Kthread: Sequent (threads in libc, but -Kthread needed for pthread.h)
+# -kthread: FreeBSD kernel threads (preferred to -pthread since SMP-able)
+# lthread: LinuxThreads port on FreeBSD (also preferred to -pthread)
+# -pthread: Linux/gcc (kernel threads), BSD/gcc (userland threads)
+# -pthreads: Solaris/gcc
+# -mthreads: Mingw32/gcc, Lynx/gcc
+# -mt: Sun Workshop C (may only link SunOS threads [-lthread], but it
+#      doesn't hurt to check since this sometimes defines pthreads too;
+#      also defines -D_REENTRANT)
+#      ... -mt is also the pthreads flag for HP/aCC
+# pthread: Linux, etcetera
+# --thread-safe: KAI C++
+# pthread-config: use pthread-config program (for GNU Pth library)
+
+case ${host_os} in
+        solaris*)
+
+        # On Solaris (at least, for some versions), libc contains stubbed
+        # (non-functional) versions of the pthreads routines, so link-based
+        # tests will erroneously succeed.  (We need to link with -pthreads/-mt/
+        # -lpthread.)  (The stubs are missing pthread_cleanup_push, or rather
+        # a function called by this macro, so we could check for that, but
+        # who knows whether they'll stub that too in a future libc.)  So,
+        # we'll just look for -pthreads and -lpthread first:
+
+        ax_pthread_flags="-pthreads pthread -mt -pthread $ax_pthread_flags"
+        ;;
+
+        darwin*)
+        ax_pthread_flags="-pthread $ax_pthread_flags"
+        ;;
+esac
+
+# Clang doesn't consider unrecognized options an error unless we specify
+# -Werror. We throw in some extra Clang-specific options to ensure that
+# this doesn't happen for GCC, which also accepts -Werror.
+
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking if compiler needs -Werror to reject unknown flags" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking if compiler needs -Werror to reject unknown flags... " >&6; }
+save_CFLAGS="$CFLAGS"
+ax_pthread_extra_flags="-Werror"
+CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $ax_pthread_extra_flags -Wunknown-warning-option -Wsizeof-array-argument"
+cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+int foo(void);
+int
+main ()
+{
+foo()
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_compile "$LINENO"; then :
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: yes" >&5
+$as_echo "yes" >&6; }
+else
+  ax_pthread_extra_flags=
+                   { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: no" >&5
+$as_echo "no" >&6; }
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
+CFLAGS="$save_CFLAGS"
+
+if test x"$ax_pthread_ok" = xno; then
+for flag in $ax_pthread_flags; do
+
+        case $flag in
+                none)
+                { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking whether pthreads work without any flags" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking whether pthreads work without any flags... " >&6; }
+                ;;
+
+                -*)
+                { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking whether pthreads work with $flag" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking whether pthreads work with $flag... " >&6; }
+                PTHREAD_CFLAGS="$flag"
+                ;;
+
+                pthread-config)
+                # Extract the first word of "pthread-config", so it can be a program name with args.
+set dummy pthread-config; ac_word=$2
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for $ac_word" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for $ac_word... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_prog_ax_pthread_config+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  if test -n "$ax_pthread_config"; then
+  ac_cv_prog_ax_pthread_config="$ax_pthread_config" # Let the user override the test.
+else
+as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
+for as_dir in $PATH
+do
+  IFS=$as_save_IFS
+  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
+    for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
+  if as_fn_executable_p "$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
+    ac_cv_prog_ax_pthread_config="yes"
+    $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: found $as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
+    break 2
+  fi
+done
+  done
+IFS=$as_save_IFS
+
+  test -z "$ac_cv_prog_ax_pthread_config" && ac_cv_prog_ax_pthread_config="no"
+fi
+fi
+ax_pthread_config=$ac_cv_prog_ax_pthread_config
+if test -n "$ax_pthread_config"; then
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ax_pthread_config" >&5
+$as_echo "$ax_pthread_config" >&6; }
+else
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: no" >&5
+$as_echo "no" >&6; }
+fi
+
+
+                if test x"$ax_pthread_config" = xno; then continue; fi
+                PTHREAD_CFLAGS="`pthread-config --cflags`"
+                PTHREAD_LIBS="`pthread-config --ldflags` `pthread-config --libs`"
+                ;;
+
+                *)
+                { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for the pthreads library -l$flag" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for the pthreads library -l$flag... " >&6; }
+                PTHREAD_LIBS="-l$flag"
+                ;;
+        esac
+
+        save_LIBS="$LIBS"
+        save_CFLAGS="$CFLAGS"
+        LIBS="$PTHREAD_LIBS $LIBS"
+        CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $PTHREAD_CFLAGS $ax_pthread_extra_flags"
+
+        # Check for various functions.  We must include pthread.h,
+        # since some functions may be macros.  (On the Sequent, we
+        # need a special flag -Kthread to make this header compile.)
+        # We check for pthread_join because it is in -lpthread on IRIX
+        # while pthread_create is in libc.  We check for pthread_attr_init
+        # due to DEC craziness with -lpthreads.  We check for
+        # pthread_cleanup_push because it is one of the few pthread
+        # functions on Solaris that doesn't have a non-functional libc stub.
+        # We try pthread_create on general principles.
+        cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+#include <pthread.h>
+                        static void routine(void *a) { a = 0; }
+                        static void *start_routine(void *a) { return a; }
+int
+main ()
+{
+pthread_t th; pthread_attr_t attr;
+                        pthread_create(&th, 0, start_routine, 0);
+                        pthread_join(th, 0);
+                        pthread_attr_init(&attr);
+                        pthread_cleanup_push(routine, 0);
+                        pthread_cleanup_pop(0) /* ; */
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
+  ax_pthread_ok=yes
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
+    conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
+
+        LIBS="$save_LIBS"
+        CFLAGS="$save_CFLAGS"
+
+        { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ax_pthread_ok" >&5
+$as_echo "$ax_pthread_ok" >&6; }
+        if test "x$ax_pthread_ok" = xyes; then
+                break;
+        fi
+
+        PTHREAD_LIBS=""
+        PTHREAD_CFLAGS=""
+done
+fi
+
+# Various other checks:
+if test "x$ax_pthread_ok" = xyes; then
+        save_LIBS="$LIBS"
+        LIBS="$PTHREAD_LIBS $LIBS"
+        save_CFLAGS="$CFLAGS"
+        CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $PTHREAD_CFLAGS"
+
+        # Detect AIX lossage: JOINABLE attribute is called UNDETACHED.
+        { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for joinable pthread attribute" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for joinable pthread attribute... " >&6; }
+        attr_name=unknown
+        for attr in PTHREAD_CREATE_JOINABLE PTHREAD_CREATE_UNDETACHED; do
+            cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+#include <pthread.h>
+int
+main ()
+{
+int attr = $attr; return attr /* ; */
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
+  attr_name=$attr; break
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
+    conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
+        done
+        { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $attr_name" >&5
+$as_echo "$attr_name" >&6; }
+        if test "$attr_name" != PTHREAD_CREATE_JOINABLE; then
+
+cat >>confdefs.h <<_ACEOF
+#define PTHREAD_CREATE_JOINABLE $attr_name
+_ACEOF
+
+        fi
+
+        { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking if more special flags are required for pthreads" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking if more special flags are required for pthreads... " >&6; }
+        flag=no
+        case ${host_os} in
+            aix* | freebsd* | darwin*) flag="-D_THREAD_SAFE";;
+            osf* | hpux*) flag="-D_REENTRANT";;
+            solaris*)
+            if test "$GCC" = "yes"; then
+                flag="-D_REENTRANT"
+            else
+                # TODO: What about Clang on Solaris?
+                flag="-mt -D_REENTRANT"
+            fi
+            ;;
+        esac
+        { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $flag" >&5
+$as_echo "$flag" >&6; }
+        if test "x$flag" != xno; then
+            PTHREAD_CFLAGS="$flag $PTHREAD_CFLAGS"
+        fi
+
+        { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT... " >&6; }
+if ${ax_cv_PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+
+                cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+#include <pthread.h>
+int
+main ()
+{
+int i = PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT;
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
+  ax_cv_PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT=yes
+else
+  ax_cv_PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT=no
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
+    conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
+
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ax_cv_PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT" >&5
+$as_echo "$ax_cv_PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT" >&6; }
+        if test "x$ax_cv_PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT" = "xyes"; then :
+
+$as_echo "#define HAVE_PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT 1" >>confdefs.h
+
+fi
+
+        LIBS="$save_LIBS"
+        CFLAGS="$save_CFLAGS"
+
+        # More AIX lossage: compile with *_r variant
+        if test "x$GCC" != xyes; then
+            case $host_os in
+                aix*)
+                case "x/$CC" in #(
+  x*/c89|x*/c89_128|x*/c99|x*/c99_128|x*/cc|x*/cc128|x*/xlc|x*/xlc_v6|x*/xlc128|x*/xlc128_v6) :
+    #handle absolute path differently from PATH based program lookup
+                   case "x$CC" in #(
+  x/*) :
+    if as_fn_executable_p ${CC}_r; then :
+  PTHREAD_CC="${CC}_r"
+fi ;; #(
+  *) :
+    for ac_prog in ${CC}_r
+do
+  # Extract the first word of "$ac_prog", so it can be a program name with args.
+set dummy $ac_prog; ac_word=$2
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for $ac_word" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for $ac_word... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_prog_PTHREAD_CC+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  if test -n "$PTHREAD_CC"; then
+  ac_cv_prog_PTHREAD_CC="$PTHREAD_CC" # Let the user override the test.
+else
+as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
+for as_dir in $PATH
+do
+  IFS=$as_save_IFS
+  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
+    for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
+  if as_fn_executable_p "$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
+    ac_cv_prog_PTHREAD_CC="$ac_prog"
+    $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: found $as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
+    break 2
+  fi
+done
+  done
+IFS=$as_save_IFS
+
+fi
+fi
+PTHREAD_CC=$ac_cv_prog_PTHREAD_CC
+if test -n "$PTHREAD_CC"; then
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $PTHREAD_CC" >&5
+$as_echo "$PTHREAD_CC" >&6; }
+else
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: no" >&5
+$as_echo "no" >&6; }
+fi
+
+
+  test -n "$PTHREAD_CC" && break
+done
+test -n "$PTHREAD_CC" || PTHREAD_CC="$CC"
+ ;;
+esac ;; #(
+  *) :
+     ;;
+esac
+                ;;
+            esac
+        fi
+fi
+
+test -n "$PTHREAD_CC" || PTHREAD_CC="$CC"
+
+
+
+
+
+# Finally, execute ACTION-IF-FOUND/ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND:
+if test x"$ax_pthread_ok" = xyes; then
+
+$as_echo "#define HAVE_PTHREAD 1" >>confdefs.h
+
+        :
+else
+        ax_pthread_ok=no
+
+fi
+ac_ext=c
+ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
+ac_compile='$CC -c $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
+ac_link='$CC -o conftest$ac_exeext $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS $LDFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext $LIBS >&5'
+ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu
+
+
+
 
 	# Check whether --enable-libcurl was given.
 if test "${enable_libcurl+set}" = set; then :
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index e88dba7b2..7251e6d71 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -723,6 +723,8 @@ dnl use pkg-config for system c-ares:
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([CARES], libcares >= 1.6.0)
 ])
 
+AX_PTHREAD()
+
 CHECK_LIBCURL
 
 UNRLINCDIR="`pwd`/include"
diff --git a/include/setup.h.in b/include/setup.h.in
index 55af6df25..60ccb368b 100644
--- a/include/setup.h.in
+++ b/include/setup.h.in
@@ -127,6 +127,12 @@
 /* Define if you have pstat */
 #undef HAVE_PSTAT
 
+/* Define if you have POSIX threads libraries and header files. */
+#undef HAVE_PTHREAD
+
+/* Have PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT. */
+#undef HAVE_PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT
+
 /* Define if the libcrypto has RAND_egd */
 #undef HAVE_RAND_EGD
 
@@ -292,6 +298,10 @@
 /* Define if you want +a/+q prefixes */
 #undef PREFIX_AQ
 
+/* Define to necessary symbol if this constant uses a non-standard name on
+   your system. */
+#undef PTHREAD_CREATE_JOINABLE
+
 /* Define if you have the <sys/rusage.h> header file. */
 #undef RUSAGEH