diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7eb1bfe1..8d588408 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -144,6 +144,15 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(true-color,
 	fi,
 	want_truecolor=no)
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(gregex,
+[  --disable-gregex     Build without GRegex (fall back to regex.h)],
+	if test x$enableval = xno ; then
+		want_gregex=no
+	else
+		want_gregex=yes
+	fi,
+	want_gregex=yes)
+
 dnl **
 dnl ** just some generic stuff...
 dnl **
@@ -534,6 +543,12 @@ else
 	want_truecolor=no
 fi
 
+if test "x$want_gregex" = "xyes"; then
+	AC_DEFINE([USE_GREGEX], [], [use GRegex for regular expressions])
+else
+	want_gregex=no
+fi
+
 AH_TEMPLATE(HAVE_GMODULE)
 AH_TEMPLATE(HAVE_SOCKS_H, [misc..])
 AH_TEMPLATE(HAVE_STATIC_PERL)
@@ -648,6 +663,7 @@ echo
 
 echo "Building with 64bit DCC support .. : $offt_64bit"
 echo "Building with true color support.. : $want_truecolor"
+echo "Building with GRegex ............. : $want_gregex"
 
 echo
 echo "If there are any problems, read the INSTALL file."
diff --git a/src/core/ignore.c b/src/core/ignore.c
index cfcbd792..bf8db04f 100644
--- a/src/core/ignore.c
+++ b/src/core/ignore.c
@@ -67,8 +67,13 @@ static int ignore_match_pattern(IGNORE_REC *rec, const char *text)
 		return FALSE;
 
 	if (rec->regexp) {
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 		return rec->preg != NULL &&
 			g_regex_match(rec->preg, text, 0, NULL);
+#else
+		return rec->regexp_compiled &&
+			regexec(&rec->preg, text, 0, NULL, 0) == 0;
+#endif
 	}
 
 	return rec->fullword ?
@@ -322,6 +327,7 @@ static void ignore_remove_config(IGNORE_REC *rec)
 
 static void ignore_init_rec(IGNORE_REC *rec)
 {
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 	if (rec->preg != NULL)
 		g_regex_unref(rec->preg);
 
@@ -335,6 +341,27 @@ static void ignore_init_rec(IGNORE_REC *rec)
 			g_error_free(re_error);
 		}
 	}
+#else
+	char *errbuf;
+	int errcode, errbuf_len;
+
+	if (rec->regexp_compiled) regfree(&rec->preg);
+	rec->regexp_compiled = FALSE;
+
+	if (rec->regexp && rec->pattern != NULL) {
+		errcode = regcomp(&rec->preg, rec->pattern,
+				REG_EXTENDED|REG_ICASE|REG_NOSUB);
+		if (errcode != 0) {
+			errbuf_len = regerror(errcode, &rec->preg, 0, 0);
+			errbuf = g_malloc(errbuf_len);
+			regerror(errcode, &rec->preg, errbuf, errbuf_len);
+			g_warning("Failed to compile regexp '%s': %s", rec->pattern, errbuf);
+			g_free(errbuf);
+		} else {
+			rec->regexp_compiled = TRUE;
+		}
+	}
+#endif
 }
 
 void ignore_add_rec(IGNORE_REC *rec)
@@ -354,7 +381,11 @@ static void ignore_destroy(IGNORE_REC *rec, int send_signal)
 	if (send_signal)
 		signal_emit("ignore destroyed", 1, rec);
 
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 	if (rec->preg != NULL) g_regex_unref(rec->preg);
+#else
+	if (rec->regexp_compiled) regfree(&rec->preg);
+#endif
 	if (rec->channels != NULL) g_strfreev(rec->channels);
 	g_free_not_null(rec->mask);
 	g_free_not_null(rec->servertag);
diff --git a/src/core/ignore.h b/src/core/ignore.h
index f37f8b28..80ae1d12 100644
--- a/src/core/ignore.h
+++ b/src/core/ignore.h
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 #ifndef __IGNORE_H
 #define __IGNORE_H
 
+#ifndef USE_GREGEX
+#  include <regex.h>
+#endif
+
 typedef struct _IGNORE_REC IGNORE_REC;
 
 struct _IGNORE_REC {
@@ -16,7 +20,12 @@ struct _IGNORE_REC {
 	unsigned int regexp:1;
 	unsigned int fullword:1;
 	unsigned int replies:1; /* ignore replies to nick in channel */
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 	GRegex *preg;
+#else
+	unsigned int regexp_compiled:1; /* should always be TRUE, unless regexp is invalid */
+	regex_t preg;
+#endif
 };
 
 extern GSList *ignores;
diff --git a/src/core/misc.c b/src/core/misc.c
index c59eb126..1cfa15b6 100644
--- a/src/core/misc.c
+++ b/src/core/misc.c
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@
 #include "misc.h"
 #include "commands.h"
 
+#ifndef USE_GREGEX
+#  include <regex.h>
+#endif
+
 typedef struct {
 	int condition;
 	GInputFunction function;
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/fe-ignore.c b/src/fe-common/core/fe-ignore.c
index 03fd4dd2..800e881d 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/fe-ignore.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/fe-ignore.c
@@ -58,8 +58,13 @@ static void ignore_print(int index, IGNORE_REC *rec)
 		g_string_append(options, "-regexp ");
 		if (rec->pattern == NULL)
 			g_string_append(options, "[INVALID! -pattern missing] ");
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 		else if (rec->preg == NULL)
 			g_string_append(options, "[INVALID!] ");
+#else
+		else if (!rec->regexp_compiled)
+			g_string_append(options, "[INVALID!] ");
+#endif
 	}
 	if (rec->fullword) g_string_append(options, "-full ");
 	if (rec->replies) g_string_append(options, "-replies ");
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c b/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
index 7a7f473c..037cde5c 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
@@ -101,7 +101,11 @@ static void hilight_destroy(HILIGHT_REC *rec)
 {
 	g_return_if_fail(rec != NULL);
 
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 	if (rec->preg != NULL) g_regex_unref(rec->preg);
+#else
+	if (rec->regexp_compiled) regfree(&rec->preg);
+#endif
 	if (rec->channels != NULL) g_strfreev(rec->channels);
 	g_free_not_null(rec->color);
 	g_free_not_null(rec->act_color);
@@ -118,10 +122,19 @@ static void hilights_destroy_all(void)
 
 static void hilight_init_rec(HILIGHT_REC *rec)
 {
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 	if (rec->preg != NULL)
 		g_regex_unref(rec->preg);
 
 	rec->preg = g_regex_new(rec->text, G_REGEX_OPTIMIZE | G_REGEX_RAW | G_REGEX_CASELESS, 0, NULL);
+#else
+	if (rec->regexp_compiled) regfree(&rec->preg);
+	if (!rec->regexp)
+		rec->regexp_compiled = FALSE;
+	else
+		rec->regexp_compiled = regcomp(&rec->preg, rec->text,
+				rec->case_sensitive ? REG_EXTENDED : (REG_EXTENDED|REG_ICASE)) == 0;
+#endif
 }
 
 void hilight_create(HILIGHT_REC *rec)
@@ -194,6 +207,7 @@ static gboolean hilight_match_text(HILIGHT_REC *rec, const char *text,
 	gboolean ret = FALSE;
 
 	if (rec->regexp) {
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 		if (rec->preg != NULL) {
 			GMatchInfo *match;
 
@@ -204,6 +218,19 @@ static gboolean hilight_match_text(HILIGHT_REC *rec, const char *text,
 
 			g_match_info_free(match);
 		}
+#else
+		regmatch_t rmatch[1];
+
+		if (rec->regexp_compiled &&
+			regexec(&rec->preg, text, 1, rmatch, 0) == 0) {
+			if (rmatch[0].rm_so > 0 &&
+				match_beg != NULL && match_end != NULL) {
+				*match_beg = rmatch[0].rm_so;
+				*match_end = rmatch[0].rm_eo;
+			}
+			ret = TRUE;
+		}
+#endif
 	} else {
 		char *match;
 
@@ -502,8 +529,13 @@ static void hilight_print(int index, HILIGHT_REC *rec)
 	if (rec->case_sensitive) g_string_append(options, "-matchcase ");
 	if (rec->regexp) {
 		g_string_append(options, "-regexp ");
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 		if (rec->preg == NULL)
 			g_string_append(options, "[INVALID!] ");
+#else
+		if (!rec->regexp_compiled)
+			g_string_append(options, "[INVALID!] ");
+#endif
 	}
 
 	if (rec->priority != 0)
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.h b/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.h
index 93c573c2..76beec1f 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.h
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.h
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 #ifndef __HILIGHT_TEXT_H
 #define __HILIGHT_TEXT_H
 
+#ifndef USE_GREGEX
+#  include <regex.h>
+#endif
+
 #include "formats.h"
 
 struct _HILIGHT_REC {
@@ -20,7 +24,12 @@ struct _HILIGHT_REC {
 	unsigned int fullword:1; /* match `text' only for full words */
 	unsigned int regexp:1; /* `text' is a regular expression */
 	unsigned int case_sensitive:1;/* `text' must match case */
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 	GRegex *preg;
+#else
+	unsigned int regexp_compiled:1; /* should always be TRUE, unless regexp is invalid */
+	regex_t preg;
+#endif
 	char *servertag;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/fe-text/textbuffer.c b/src/fe-text/textbuffer.c
index 979a6104..ae4636a5 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/textbuffer.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/textbuffer.c
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@
 
 #include "textbuffer.h"
 
+#ifndef USE_GREGEX
+#  include <regex.h>
+#endif
+
 #define TEXT_CHUNK_USABLE_SIZE (LINE_TEXT_CHUNK_SIZE-2-(int)sizeof(char*))
 
 TEXT_BUFFER_REC *textbuffer_create(void)
@@ -533,7 +537,11 @@ GList *textbuffer_find_text(TEXT_BUFFER_REC *buffer, LINE_REC *startline,
 			    int before, int after,
 			    int regexp, int fullword, int case_sensitive)
 {
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 	GRegex *preg;
+#else
+	regex_t preg;
+#endif
         LINE_REC *line, *pre_line;
 	GList *matches;
 	GString *str;
@@ -543,6 +551,7 @@ GList *textbuffer_find_text(TEXT_BUFFER_REC *buffer, LINE_REC *startline,
 	g_return_val_if_fail(buffer != NULL, NULL);
 	g_return_val_if_fail(text != NULL, NULL);
 
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 	preg = NULL;
 
 	if (regexp) {
@@ -551,6 +560,14 @@ GList *textbuffer_find_text(TEXT_BUFFER_REC *buffer, LINE_REC *startline,
 		if (preg == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
+#else
+	if (regexp) {
+		int flags = REG_EXTENDED | REG_NOSUB |
+			(case_sensitive ? 0 : REG_ICASE);
+		if (regcomp(&preg, text, flags) != 0)
+			return NULL;
+	}
+#endif
 
 	matches = NULL; match_after = 0;
         str = g_string_new(NULL);
@@ -571,8 +588,12 @@ GList *textbuffer_find_text(TEXT_BUFFER_REC *buffer, LINE_REC *startline,
 
 			if (line_matched) {
 				line_matched = regexp ?
-				    g_regex_match(preg, str->str, 0, NULL) :
-				    match_func(str->str, text) != NULL;
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
+				    g_regex_match(preg, str->str, 0, NULL)
+#else
+				    regexec(&preg, str->str, 0, NULL, 0) == 0
+#endif
+					: match_func(str->str, text) != NULL;
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -602,8 +623,12 @@ GList *textbuffer_find_text(TEXT_BUFFER_REC *buffer, LINE_REC *startline,
 		}
 	}
 
+#ifdef USE_GREGEX
 	if (preg != NULL)
 		g_regex_unref(preg);
+#else
+	if (regexp) regfree(&preg);
+#endif
         g_string_free(str, TRUE);
 	return matches;
 }