diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 47ff4f632..1b52f7fc5 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -94,8 +94,16 @@ AS_IF([test "x$enable_debug" = xyes],
 
 AM_CONDITIONAL([KERNEL_DEBUG], [test "x$enable_debug" = xyes])
 
-AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG(-march=native, 
-                      AX_APPEND_FLAG(-march=native))
+AC_ARG_WITH([march-native],
+            [AS_HELP_STRING([--without-march-native], 
+                            [do not use compile flag -march=native even if available])]
+           )
+
+AS_IF([test "x$with_march_native" == "xno" ],
+      [AC_MSG_NOTICE([the compile flag -march=native will not be used even if available])])
+
+AS_IF([test "x$with_march_native" != "xno"],
+      [AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG(-march=native, AX_APPEND_FLAG(-march=native))])
 
 dnl ##
 dnl ## Output everything