diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -711,6 +711,18 @@
 AC_SUBST(NO_AS_NEEDED)
 
 
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([for link time optimization -flto])
+save_CFLAGS="$CFLAGS"
+CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -flto"
+AC_LINK_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[]], [[]])],
+  [LTO="-flto"
+   AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])],
+  [LTO=""
+   AC_MSG_RESULT([no])])
+CFLAGS="$save_CFLAGS"
+AC_SUBST(LTO)
+
+
 # checks for UNIX variants that set C preprocessor variables
 AC_USE_SYSTEM_EXTENSIONS
 
@@ -1099,11 +1111,11 @@
 		# debug builds.
 		OPT="-g -O0 -Wall $STRICT_PROTO"
 	    else
-		OPT="-g $WRAP -O3 -Wall $STRICT_PROTO"
+		OPT="-g $WRAP -O3 -Wall $STRICT_PROTO $LTO"
 	    fi
 	    ;;
 	*)
-	    OPT="-O3 -Wall $STRICT_PROTO"
+	    OPT="-O3 -Wall $STRICT_PROTO $LTO"
 	    ;;
 	esac
 	case $ac_sys_system in