diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 57651a93..1c09ae90 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
-if HAVE_HWLOC
+if HAVE_BUNDLED_HWLOC
 SUBDIRS = hwloc-1.2.1
 endif
 
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ SUFFIXES = .h
 BUILT_SOURCES = $(myhtopheaders)
 htop_SOURCES = $(myhtopheaders) $(myhtopsources) config.h debug.h
 
-if HAVE_HWLOC
+if HAVE_BUNDLED_HWLOC
 htop_LDADD = $(HWLOC_EMBEDDED_LDADD) $(HWLOC_EMBEDDED_LIBS)
 AM_CFLAGS += $(HWLOC_EMBEDDED_CFLAGS)
 AM_CPPFLAGS += $(HWLOC_EMBEDDED_CPPFLAGS)
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b63ef6b6..b049215b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -111,15 +111,28 @@ AC_CHECK_FILE($PROCDIR/meminfo,,AC_MSG_ERROR(Cannot find /proc/meminfo. Make sur
 fi
 
 ##### hwloc
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(system-hwloc, [AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-system-hwloc], [use the copy of hwloc from your system and not the one bundled with the htop sources. (hwloc required)])], ,enable_system_hwloc="no")
 enable_xml=no
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(hwloc, [AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-hwloc], [enable hwloc support for CPU affinity])],, enable_hwloc="yes")
 if test "x$enable_hwloc" = xyes
 then
-   HWLOC_SETUP_CORE([hwloc-1.2.1], [hwloc_happy=yes], [hwloc_happy=no])
+   if test "x$enable_system_hwloc" = xyes
+   then
+      AC_CHECK_LIB([hwloc], [hwloc_linux_get_tid_cpubind], [], [missing_libraries="$missing_libraries libhwloc"])
+      AC_CHECK_HEADERS([hwloc.h],[:], [missing_headers="$missing_headers $ac_header"])
+
+   else
+      HWLOC_SETUP_CORE([hwloc-1.2.1], [hwloc_bundled=yes], [hwloc_bundled=no])
+   fi
 fi
 HWLOC_DO_AM_CONDITIONALS
-AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_HWLOC], [test "x$hwloc_happy" = "xyes"])
-if test "x$hwloc_happy" = "xyes"; then
+AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_HWLOC], [test "x$hwloc_bundled" = "xyes" -o "x$hwloc_system" = "xyes"])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_BUNDLED_HWLOC], [test "x$hwloc_bundled" = "xyes"])
+if test "x$hwloc_system" = "xyes"; then
+   AC_DEFINE([HAVE_SYSTEM_HWLOC], 1, [Have system hwloc])
+   AC_DEFINE([HAVE_HWLOC], 1, [Have hwloc])
+elif test "x$hwloc_bundled" = "xyes"; then
+   AC_DEFINE([HAVE_BUNDLED_HWLOC], 1, [Use bundled hwloc])
    AC_DEFINE([HAVE_HWLOC], 1, [Have hwloc])
 fi
 #####