diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index cf38e45..ba7ad09 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -96,7 +96,11 @@ CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -D_REENTRANT -D_THREAD_SAFE"
 
 dnl Check whether to enable IPv6 support
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([ipv6],[  --enable-ipv6           Enable IPv6 support (disabled by default)],
-              CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -DINET6",)
+              [enable_ipv6=$enableval],
+              [enable_ipv6=no])
+if test $enable_ipv6 = yes; then
+  CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -DINET6"
+fi
 
 AC_SUBST(HAVE_NEW_SS_FAMILY)
 AC_OUTPUT(Makefile src/Makefile man/Makefile)