diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 13303e36cc0..205d3e981b8 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #! /bin/sh
-# From configure.in Revision: 1.402 .
+# From configure.in Revision: 1.403 .
 # Guess values for system-dependent variables and create Makefiles.
 # Generated by GNU Autoconf 2.53 for python 2.3.
 #
@@ -9715,7 +9715,7 @@ cat conftest.$ac_ext >&5
 fi
 rm -f conftest.$ac_objext conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
 if test "$ac_cv_search_sem_init" = no; then
-  for ac_lib in rt posix4; do
+  for ac_lib in pthread rt posix4; do
     LIBS="-l$ac_lib  $ac_func_search_save_LIBS"
     cat >conftest.$ac_ext <<_ACEOF
 #line $LINENO "configure"
@@ -9771,8 +9771,9 @@ if test "$ac_cv_search_sem_init" != no; then
   test "$ac_cv_search_sem_init" = "none required" || LIBS="$ac_cv_search_sem_init $LIBS"
 
 fi
-	# 'Real Time' functions on Solaris,
-			    		# posix4 on Solaris 2.6
+ # 'Real Time' functions on Solaris
+					    # posix4 on Solaris 2.6
+					    # pthread (first!) on Linux
 
 # checks for system dependent C++ extensions support
 case "$ac_sys_system" in
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index f4956171830..6686f2bb544 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -1248,8 +1248,9 @@ AC_MSG_RESULT($SHLIBS)
 # checks for libraries
 AC_CHECK_LIB(dl, dlopen)	# Dynamic linking for SunOS/Solaris and SYSV
 AC_CHECK_LIB(dld, shl_load)	# Dynamic linking for HP-UX
-AC_SEARCH_LIBS(sem_init, rt posix4)	# 'Real Time' functions on Solaris,
-			    		# posix4 on Solaris 2.6
+AC_SEARCH_LIBS(sem_init, pthread rt posix4) # 'Real Time' functions on Solaris
+					    # posix4 on Solaris 2.6
+					    # pthread (first!) on Linux
 
 # checks for system dependent C++ extensions support
 case "$ac_sys_system" in