diff --git a/m4/libtextstyle.m4.orig b/m4/libtextstyle.m4
index 6ae5261..26e15db 100644
--- a/m4/libtextstyle.m4.orig
+++ b/m4/libtextstyle.m4
@@ -21,6 +21,15 @@ AC_DEFUN([gl_LIBTEXTSTYLE],
 [
   AC_REQUIRE([gl_LIBTEXTSTYLE_INITIALIZE])
   AC_REQUIRE([gl_LIBTEXTSTYLE_SEARCH])
+
+  AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether to link against libtextstyle])
+  AC_ARG_WITH([libtextstyle],
+    [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-libtextstyle],
+      [support fancy colors @<:@default=check@:>@])],
+    [],
+    [with_libtextstyle=check])
+  AC_MSG_RESULT([$with_libtextstyle])
+
   pushdef([MINVERSION], m4_if([$1], [], [gl_LIBTEXTSTYLE_NEWEST_VERSION], [$1]))
   dnl Signal a fatal error if MINVERSION is not among the allowed values.
   m4_if(m4_if(MINVERSION, [0.20], [x], [])m4_if(MINVERSION, [0.20.5], [x], []), [],
@@ -53,7 +62,18 @@ AC_DEFUN([gl_LIBTEXTSTYLE_SEARCH],
       snippet='term_styled_ostream_create(1,"",TTYCTL_AUTO,"");'
       ;;
   esac
-  AC_LIB_HAVE_LINKFLAGS([textstyle], [],
-    [#include <textstyle.h>], [$snippet],
-    [no])
+
+  AS_IF(
+    [test "x$with_libtextstyle" != xno],
+      [AC_LIB_HAVE_LINKFLAGS([textstyle], [],
+        [#include <textstyle.h>], [$snippet],
+        [no])
+      ]
+  )
+
+  AS_IF(
+    [test "x$with_libtextstyle" = xyes -a "x$HAVE_LIBTEXTSTYLE" != xyes],
+      [AC_MSG_FAILURE(
+        [--with-libtextstyle was given, but test for libtextstyle failed])]
+  )
 ])