diff --git a/configure b/configure
index b805f10297..92d29c9d39 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ kerneldir=""
 aix="no"
 blobs="yes"
 pkgversion=""
+check_utests="no"
 
 # OS specific
 if check_define __linux__ ; then
@@ -518,6 +519,10 @@ for opt do
   ;;
   --enable-fdt) fdt="yes"
   ;;
+  --disable-check-utests) check_utests="no"
+  ;;
+  --enable-check-utests) check_utests="yes"
+  ;;
   --disable-nptl) nptl="no"
   ;;
   --enable-nptl) nptl="yes"
@@ -653,6 +658,8 @@ echo "  --disable-curl           disable curl connectivity"
 echo "  --enable-curl            enable curl connectivity"
 echo "  --disable-fdt            disable fdt device tree"
 echo "  --enable-fdt             enable fdt device tree"
+echo "  --disable-check-utests   disable check unit-tests"
+echo "  --enable-check-utests    enable check unit-tests"
 echo "  --disable-bluez          disable bluez stack connectivity"
 echo "  --enable-bluez           enable bluez stack connectivity"
 echo "  --disable-kvm            disable KVM acceleration support"
@@ -1212,6 +1219,26 @@ EOF
   fi
 fi # test "$curl"
 
+##########################################
+# check framework probe
+
+if test "$check_utests" != "no" ; then
+  cat > $TMPC << EOF
+#include <check.h>
+int main(void) { suite_create("qemu test"); return 0; }
+EOF
+  check_libs=`pkg-config --libs check`
+  if compile_prog "" $check_libs ; then
+    check_utests=yes
+    libs_tools="$check_libs $libs_tools"
+  else
+    if test "$check_utests" = "yes" ; then
+      feature_not_found "check"
+    fi
+    check_utests=no
+  fi
+fi # test "$check_utests"
+
 ##########################################
 # bluez support probe
 if test "$bluez" != "no" ; then
@@ -1661,6 +1688,7 @@ fi
 echo "SDL support       $sdl"
 echo "curses support    $curses"
 echo "curl support      $curl"
+echo "check support     $check_utests"
 echo "mingw32 support   $mingw32"
 echo "Audio drivers     $audio_drv_list"
 echo "Extra audio cards $audio_card_list"
@@ -1898,6 +1926,9 @@ if test `expr "$target_list" : ".*softmmu.*"` != 0 ; then
   tools="qemu-img\$(EXESUF) $tools"
   if [ "$linux" = "yes" ] ; then
       tools="qemu-nbd\$(EXESUF) qemu-io\$(EXESUF) $tools"
+    if [ "$check_utests" = "yes" ]; then
+      tools="$tools"
+    fi
   fi
 fi
 echo "TOOLS=$tools" >> $config_host_mak