diff --git a/config.mak.in b/config.mak.in
index 7d5df9bf3c..15fb26cb92 100644
--- a/config.mak.in
+++ b/config.mak.in
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ VPATH = @srcdir@
 export exec_prefix mandir
 export srcdir VPATH
 
+ASCIIDOC8=@ASCIIDOC8@
 NEEDS_SSL_WITH_CRYPTO=@NEEDS_SSL_WITH_CRYPTO@
 NO_OPENSSL=@NO_OPENSSL@
 NO_CURL=@NO_CURL@
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index dd4b4eb982..6f641e32f0 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -122,6 +122,27 @@ if test -z "$NO_TCLTK"; then
     AC_SUBST(TCLTK_PATH)
   fi
 fi
+AC_CHECK_PROGS(ASCIIDOC, [asciidoc])
+if test -n "$ASCIIDOC"; then
+	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for asciidoc version])
+	asciidoc_version=`$ASCIIDOC --version 2>&1`
+	case "${asciidoc_version}" in
+	asciidoc' '8*)
+		ASCIIDOC8=YesPlease
+		AC_MSG_RESULT([${asciidoc_version} > 7])
+		;;
+	asciidoc' '7*)
+		ASCIIDOC8=
+		AC_MSG_RESULT([${asciidoc_version}])
+		;;
+	*)
+		ASCIIDOC8=
+		AC_MSG_RESULT([${asciidoc_version} (unknown)])
+		;;
+	esac
+fi
+AC_SUBST(ASCIIDOC8)
+
 
 ## Checks for libraries.
 AC_MSG_NOTICE([CHECKS for libraries])