diff -r 251c5b4bb05d configure.ac
--- a/configure.ac	Sat Apr 20 21:28:49 2013 -0700
+++ b/configure.ac	Tue Apr 23 01:06:23 2013 +0100
@@ -4311,30 +4311,39 @@
 
 AC_MSG_NOTICE([checking for device files])
 
-dnl NOTE: Inform user how to proceed with files when cross compiling.
-if test "x$cross_compiling" = xyes; then
-  if test "${ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx+set}" != set; then
-    AC_MSG_CHECKING([for /dev/ptmx])
-    AC_MSG_RESULT([not set])
-    AC_MSG_ERROR([set ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx to yes/no in your CONFIG_SITE file when cross compiling])
-  fi
-  if test "${ac_cv_file__dev_ptc+set}" != set; then
-    AC_MSG_CHECKING([for /dev/ptc])
-    AC_MSG_RESULT([not set])
-    AC_MSG_ERROR([set ac_cv_file__dev_ptc to yes/no in your CONFIG_SITE file when cross compiling])
-  fi
-fi
-
-AC_CHECK_FILE(/dev/ptmx, [], [])
-if test "x$ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx" = xyes; then
-  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_DEV_PTMX, 1,
-  [Define to 1 if you have the /dev/ptmx device file.])
-fi
-AC_CHECK_FILE(/dev/ptc, [], [])
-if test "x$ac_cv_file__dev_ptc" = xyes; then
-  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_DEV_PTC, 1,
-  [Define to 1 if you have the /dev/ptc device file.])
-fi
+dnl NOTE: User must decide how to proceed with files when cross compiling.
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(ptmx,
+    AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-ptmx],[enable use of /dev/ptmx device file]),
+[],
+[
+    if test "x$cross_compiling" = xyes; then
+        AC_MSG_CHECKING([for /dev/ptmx])
+        AC_MSG_RESULT([not set])
+        AC_MSG_ERROR([in cross compiling needs --{enable|disable}-ptmx flag])
+    fi
+    AC_CHECK_FILE(/dev/ptmx, [enable_ptmx=yes], [enable_ptmx=no])
+])
+if test "x$enable_ptmx" = xyes; then
+    AC_DEFINE(HAVE_DEV_PTMX, 1,
+        [Define to 1 if you have the /dev/ptmx device file.])
+fi
+
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(ptc,
+    AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-ptc],[enable use of /dev/ptc device file]),
+[],
+[
+    if test "x$cross_compiling" = xyes; then
+        AC_MSG_CHECKING([for /dev/ptc])
+        AC_MSG_RESULT([not set])
+        AC_MSG_ERROR([in cross compiling needs --{enable|disable}-ptc flag])
+    fi
+    AC_CHECK_FILE(/dev/ptc, [enable_ptc=yes], [enable_ptc=no])
+])
+if test "x$enable_ptc" = xyes; then
+    AC_DEFINE(HAVE_DEV_PTC, 1,
+        [Define to 1 if you have the /dev/ptc device file.])
+fi
+
 
 if test "$have_long_long" = yes
 then