diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index e2160369..0a369a44 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ if test "x$prefix" != "xNONE"; then
 	perl_prefix_note=yes
 fi
 
-AC_ARG_WITH(tests,
+AC_ARG_WITH(glib2,
 [  --with-glib2            Use GLIB 2.0 instead of 1.2],
 	if test x$withval = xyes; then
 		want_glib2=yes
@@ -124,6 +124,19 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(tests,
 	fi,
 	want_glib2=yes)
 
+AC_ARG_WITH(gc,
+[  --with-gc               Use garbage collector, requires GLIB2],
+	if test x$withval = xyes; then
+		want_gc=yes
+	else
+		if test "x$withval" = xno; then
+			want_gc=no
+		else
+			want_gc=yes
+		fi
+	fi,
+	want_gc=no)
+
 AC_ARG_WITH(perl-staticlib,
 [  --with-perl-staticlib   Specify that we want to link perl libraries
                           statically in irssi, default is no],
@@ -219,6 +232,63 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(openssl-libs,
 	    [openssl_prefix=$withval], 
 	    [openssl_prefix=/usr/lib])
 
+dnl **
+dnl ** SSL Library checks (OpenSSL)
+dnl **
+
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(ssl, 
+	      [  --enable-ssl             Turn on Secure Sockets Layer support [default=yes]],,
+	      enable_ssl=yes)
+
+AC_ARG_WITH(openssl-includes,
+	    [  --with-openssl-includes  Specify location of OpenSSL header files],
+	    [openssl_inc_prefix=-I$withval])
+
+AC_ARG_WITH(openssl-libs,
+	    [  --with-openssl-libs      Specify location of OpenSSL libs],
+	    [openssl_prefix=$withval], 
+	    [openssl_prefix=/usr/lib])
+
+if test "x$enable_ssl" = xyes; then
+	###
+	### Check for OpenSSL
+	###
+	save_CFLAGS=$CFLAGS;
+	CFLAGS="-lcrypto";
+
+	enable_openssl="no"; 
+	OPENSSL_LDFLAGS="";
+	AC_CHECK_LIB(ssl, SSL_read,
+			AC_CHECK_LIB(crypto, X509_new,
+					AC_CHECK_HEADERS(openssl/ssl.h openssl/err.h,
+						[
+							enable_openssl="yes";
+							OPENSSL_LDFLAGS="-lssl -lcrypto"
+						],
+					AC_ERROR([Cannot find OpenSSL includes !])),
+				AC_ERROR([Cannot find libCrypto !])),
+			AC_ERROR([Cannot find libSSL !]))
+	CFLAGS=$save_CFLAGS
+
+	if test "x$enable_openssl" = xyes; then
+		AC_DEFINE(HAVE_OPENSSL)
+		OPENSSL_LIBS="-L$openssl_prefix $OPENSSL_LDFLAGS"
+		OPENSSL_CFLAGS="$openssl_inc_prefix"
+		enable_openssl="yes, in $openssl_prefix"
+	else
+		OPENSSL_LIBS=
+		OPENSSL_CFLAGS=
+	fi
+
+	AC_SUBST(OPENSSL_CFLAGS)
+	AC_SUBST(OPENSSL_LIBS)
+	LIBS="$LIBS $OPENSSL_LIBS"
+	CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $OPENSSL_CFLAGS"
+else
+	enable_openssl="no"
+fi
+
+
 dnl **
 dnl ** just some generic stuff...
 dnl **
@@ -462,7 +532,6 @@ fi
 
 LIBS="$LIBS $GLIB_LIBS"
 
-dnl * make sure glib2 + ssl isn't tried to be used, it won't work
 if test "x$enable_ssl" = xyes; then
 	###
 	### Check for OpenSSL
@@ -492,6 +561,22 @@ else
 	enable_openssl="no"
 fi
 
+dnl **
+dnl ** Garbage Collector
+dnl ** 
+if test "x$want_gc" = xyes; then
+  if test "$glib_config_major_version" = "2"; then
+    AC_CHECK_LIB(gc, GC_malloc, [
+      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GC)
+      LIBS="$LIBS -lgc"
+    ], [
+      want_gc=no
+    ])
+  else
+    want_gc=no
+  fi
+fi
+
 dnl **
 dnl ** check if we can link dynamic libraries to modules
 dnl ** also checks if libraries are built to .libs dir
@@ -875,6 +960,8 @@ if test "x$want_ipv6" = "xyes"; then
 	AC_MSG_RESULT($irssi_cv_type_in6_addr)
 fi
 
+echo "OpenSSL support .............: ${enable_openssl}"
+
 dnl **
 dnl ** IRSSI_VERSION_DATE and IRSSI_VERSION_TIME
 dnl **
@@ -1002,6 +1089,7 @@ echo
 echo "Building with IPv6 support ....... : $want_ipv6"
 echo "Building with SSL support ........ : ${enable_openssl}"
 echo "Building with 64bit DCC support .. : $offt_64bit"
+echo "Building with garbage collector .. : $want_gc"
 if test "x$enable_openssl" = "xno" -a "x$ssl_error" != "x"; then
   echo "  - $ssl_error"
 fi
diff --git a/src/fe-text/irssi.c b/src/fe-text/irssi.c
index fbb3e0c1..d0bbbc99 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/irssi.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/irssi.c
@@ -309,6 +309,17 @@ static void winsock_init(void)
 }
 #endif
 
+#ifdef HAVE_GC
+#include <gc/gc.h>
+GMemVTable gc_mem_table = {
+	GC_malloc,
+	GC_realloc,
+	GC_free,
+
+	NULL, NULL, NULL
+};
+#endif
+
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	static struct poptOption options[] = {
@@ -316,6 +327,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		{ NULL, '\0', 0, NULL }
 	};
 
+#ifdef HAVE_GC
+	g_mem_set_vtable(&gc_mem_table);
+#endif
+
 	dummy = FALSE;
 	quitting = FALSE;
 	core_init_paths(argc, argv);
diff --git a/src/perl/perl-common.c b/src/perl/perl-common.c
index d39d351c..f6c56552 100644
--- a/src/perl/perl-common.c
+++ b/src/perl/perl-common.c
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@
 #include "perl-core.h"
 #include "perl-common.h"
 
+#ifdef HAVE_GC
+#  include <gc/gc.h>
+#endif
+
 typedef struct {
 	char *stash;
         PERL_OBJECT_FUNC fill_func;
@@ -151,6 +155,7 @@ void *irssi_ref_object(SV *o)
 {
         SV **sv;
 	HV *hv;
+	void *p;
 
         hv = hvref(o);
 	if (hv == NULL)
@@ -158,8 +163,13 @@ void *irssi_ref_object(SV *o)
 
 	sv = hv_fetch(hv, "_irssi", 6, 0);
 	if (sv == NULL)
-                croak("variable is damaged");
-	return GINT_TO_POINTER(SvIV(*sv));
+		croak("variable is damaged");
+	p = GINT_TO_POINTER(SvIV(*sv));
+#ifdef HAVE_GC
+	if (GC_base(p) == NULL)
+		croak("variable is already free'd");
+#endif
+	return p;
 }
 
 void irssi_add_object(int type, int chat_type, const char *stash,