--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -50,6 +50,25 @@
         AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-systemd], [Build systemd support]),
         [enable_systemd="$enableval"], [enable_systemd="no"])
 
+AC_ARG_WITH([libtirpc],
+           AS_HELP_STRING([--with-libtirpc], [Use libtirpc as RPC implementation (instead of sunrpc)]),
+           [], [ with_libtirpc=no ])
+
+AS_IF([test "x$with_libtirpc" != xno],
+      [PKG_CHECK_MODULES([TIRPC],
+                         [libtirpc],
+                         [RPC_CFLAGS=$TIRPC_CFLAGS; RPC_LIBS=$TIRPC_LIBS;],
+                        [AC_MSG_ERROR([libtirpc requested, but library not found.])]
+                       )],
+      [AC_CHECK_HEADER(rpc/rpc.h,
+                      [RPC_CFLAGS=""; RPC_LIBS="";],
+                      [AC_MSG_ERROR([sunrpc requested, but headers are not present.])]
+                     )]
+)
+
+AC_SUBST(RPC_CFLAGS)
+AC_SUBST(RPC_LIBS)
+
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBNFNETLINK], [libnfnetlink >= 1.0.1])
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBMNL], [libmnl >= 1.0.3])
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBNETFILTER_CONNTRACK], [libnetfilter_conntrack >= 1.0.6])
--- a/src/helpers/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/helpers/Makefile.am
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
 ct_helper_ftp_la_CFLAGS = $(AM_CFLAGS) $(LIBNETFILTER_CONNTRACK_CFLAGS)
 
 ct_helper_rpc_la_SOURCES = rpc.c
-ct_helper_rpc_la_LDFLAGS = -avoid-version -module $(LIBNETFILTER_CONNTRACK_LIBS)
-ct_helper_rpc_la_CFLAGS = $(AM_CFLAGS) $(LIBNETFILTER_CONNTRACK_CFLAGS)
+ct_helper_rpc_la_LDFLAGS = -avoid-version -module $(LIBNETFILTER_CONNTRACK_LIBS) $(RPC_LIBS)
+ct_helper_rpc_la_CFLAGS = $(AM_CFLAGS) $(LIBNETFILTER_CONNTRACK_CFLAGS) $(RPC_CFLAGS)
 
 ct_helper_tftp_la_SOURCES = tftp.c
 ct_helper_tftp_la_LDFLAGS = -avoid-version -module $(LIBNETFILTER_CONNTRACK_LIBS)
