diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index fec392f8..718c7d44 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -106,6 +106,18 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(minimal,
 ])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([MINIMAL], [test x$enable_minimal = xyes])
 
+AC_ARG_WITH(pthreads, AC_HELP_STRING([--with-pthreads],
+ [use pthreads library, or --without-pthreads to disable threading support.]),
+ [ ], [withval="yes"])
+
+AS_IF([test "x$withval" = "xyes"], [
+  AX_PTHREAD([
+    AC_DEFINE(HAVE_PTHREAD, 1, [Define if you have POSIX threads libraries and header files])
+    LIBS="$PTHREAD_LIBS $LIBS"
+    CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $PTHREAD_CFLAGS"
+    CC="$PTHREAD_CC"])
+])
+
 AC_ARG_WITH(safecode,
 [AS_HELP_STRING(--with-safecode,For maintainers only - please do not use)],
 [AS_IF([test "x$withval" = "xyes"], [
diff --git a/dist-build/emscripten.sh b/dist-build/emscripten.sh
index e0564a05..3ca0b7ea 100755
--- a/dist-build/emscripten.sh
+++ b/dist-build/emscripten.sh
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ rm -f "$DONE_FILE"
 
 echo
 emconfigure ./configure --enable-minimal --disable-shared --prefix="$PREFIX" \
-  CFLAGS="$CFLAGS" && \
+                        --without-pthreads CFLAGS="$CFLAGS" && \
 emmake make clean
 [ $? = 0 ] || exit 1