diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 6cb3123c4..6009520bb 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -29,21 +29,6 @@ AC_PROG_CC
 AC_PROG_CPP
 AC_PROG_CXX
 
-# Do a quick check to ensure the c++ compiler works
-AC_RUN_IFELSE([
-#include <iostream>
-int main()  { return 0; }
-],[],
-[
-   echo
-   echo "Compiling a simple program failed, so something is broken with"
-   echo "the building process. Please check that your system is setup"
-   echo "so it can compile C++ code."
-   echo
-   echo "Configure aborted."
-   exit
-])
-
 dnl =============================================
 dnl Define debug which enables some cheats
 dnl This should be DISABLED when doing a release!