diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c05cb9f288f213dcf457c132426bd4005c3a9ef1..7ffa28d282b349ad054a8e150fac0d6282d641cd 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -243,10 +243,14 @@ fi
 
 AC_PROG_CC
 AM_PROG_CC_C_O
+AC_PROG_CPP
 AC_C_INLINE
 AC_PROG_CPP
 AC_PROG_F77
 
+AC_PATH_PROG([CPP], [cpp], [], [/usr/bin:/lib:$PATH])
+AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([CPP],["$CPP"],["Command which runs the C preprecessor"])
+
 #
 # Support for FORTRAN code in ALBERTA
 #