diff --git a/builds/posix/make.defaults b/builds/posix/make.defaults
index 56c2510d7e..8983f1085d 100755
--- a/builds/posix/make.defaults
+++ b/builds/posix/make.defaults
@@ -272,10 +272,15 @@ LINK_PLUGIN_SYMBOLS = $(LINK_EMPTY_SYMBOLS)
 LINK_EXEC_EXPORT=-rdynamic
 
 LIB_PLATFORM_RPATH = -Wl,-rpath,$(1)
-ifeq ($(strip @BINRELOC_CFLAGS@),)
-LIB_LINK_RPATH = $(call LIB_PLATFORM_RPATH,$(if $(subst intl,,$(1)),@FB_LIBDIR@,@FB_INTLDIR@))
+
+ifeq (@USE_RPATH@,1)
+    ifeq ($(strip @BINRELOC_CFLAGS@),)
+        LIB_LINK_RPATH = $(call LIB_PLATFORM_RPATH,$(if $(subst intl,,$(1)),@FB_LIBDIR@,@FB_INTLDIR@))
+    else
+        LIB_LINK_RPATH = $(call LIB_PLATFORM_RPATH,'$$ORIGIN/../$(1)')
+    endif
 else
-LIB_LINK_RPATH = $(call LIB_PLATFORM_RPATH,'$$ORIGIN/../$(1)')
+    LIB_LINK_RPATH =
 endif
 LIB_PATH_OPTS = $(call LIB_LINK_RPATH,lib) $(call LIB_LINK_RPATH,intl)
 LIB_LINK_SONAME= -Wl,-soname,$(1)
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 3a487e08f7..dbb1eec616 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -494,6 +494,14 @@ if test "$RAW_DEVICES_FLG" = "Y"; then
     [Define this if databases on raw devices should be supported])
 fi
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(rpath,
+  [  --enable-rpath          enable linking with RPATH (default)],
+  [],
+  [enable_rpath=yes])
+if test "x$enable_rpath" != "xno" || test "x$enable_rpath" = "x" ; then
+  AC_SUBST(USE_RPATH, 1)
+fi
+
 AC_ARG_WITH(editline,
   [  --with-editline         support fancy command line editing],
   [case "$withval" in