diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c86f31dc9e..641e4bba2a 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -35,6 +35,21 @@ fi
 
 AC_SUBST(CXXFLAGS)
 
+#
+# Check availablity of boost: 
+#
+AC_ARG_WITH(boost,
+[  --with-boost=PATH       specify a path to the boost if it's not automatically found],
+    boost_path="$withval", boost_path="no")
+if test "$boost_path" != "no"
+then
+	BOOST_INCLUDES="-I$boost_path/include"
+else
+	BOOST_INCLUDES=
+fi
+
+AC_SUBST(BOOST_INCLUDES)
+
 #
 # Check availablity of gtest, which will be used for unit tests.
 #