diff --git a/build/jam/BuildSetup b/build/jam/BuildSetup
index 9a5a92e934..501bd6686e 100644
--- a/build/jam/BuildSetup
+++ b/build/jam/BuildSetup
@@ -466,11 +466,11 @@ HOST_UNARFLAGS		?= x ;
 
 # check the host platform compatibility
 SetPlatformCompatibilityFlagVariables HOST_PLATFORM : HOST : host
-	: linux freebsd darwin sunos cygwin ;
+	: linux openbsd freebsd darwin sunos cygwin ;
 
 if $(HOST_PLATFORM) = linux || $(HOST_PLATFORM) = freebsd
 	|| $(HOST_PLATFORM) = darwin || $(HOST_PLATFORM) = cygwin
-	|| $(HOST_PLATFORM) = sunos {
+	|| $(HOST_PLATFORM) = sunos || $(HOST_PLATFORM) = openbsd {
 	# don't use lex: otherwise rc will not work correctly
 	if $(LEX) = lex {
 		LEX = flex ;
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index c0413e3bf6..3149bfc25e 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -329,6 +329,7 @@ case "${platform}" in
 	FreeBSD) buildPlatform=freebsd ;;
 	Haiku)	buildPlatform=haiku_host ;;
 	Linux)	buildPlatform=linux ;;
+	OpenBSD) buildPlatform=openbsd ;;
 	SunOS)	buildPlatform=sunos ;;
 	CYGWIN_NT-*) buildPlatform=cygwin ;;
 	*)		echo Unsupported platform: ${platform}