diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index a91c1f9a..0f788a9f 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ if test "$want_perl" != "no"; then
 		dnl * check that perl's ldflags actually work
 		echo "main(){perl_alloc(); return 0;}" > conftest.c
 		$CC $CFLAGS conftest.c -o conftest $LDFLAGS $PERL_LDFLAGS 2> perl.error.tmp > /dev/null
-		if test ! -s conftest; then
+		if test ! -s conftest -a "x$ignore_perl_errors" = "x"; then
 			perl_check_error="Error linking with perl libraries: $PERL_LDFLAGS: `cat perl.error.tmp`"
 			AC_MSG_RESULT([error linking with perl libraries, building without Perl])
 			want_perl=no