diff --git a/INSTALL b/INSTALL
index c282a729c..f945765c2 100644
--- a/INSTALL
+++ b/INSTALL
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ operating system (any modern version of BSD, Linux or Unix should work),
 an ANSI/ISO C compiler that supports the "long long" type, variadic
 macros (a C99 feature) as well as the ar, make and ranlib utilities.
 
+The configure script will attempt to use clang, gcc or cc as the C
+compiler (in that order).  You may set the CC environment variable
+to the C compiler of your choice to overide this.
+
 If you wish to modify the parser then you will need flex version
 2.5.2 or later and either bison or byacc (sudo comes with a
 pre-generated parser).  You'll also have to run configure with the
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 97db77cac..de1cb8497 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -16579,6 +16579,353 @@ if test -n "$with_libraries"; then
     done
 fi
 
+ac_ext=c
+ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
+ac_compile='$CC -c $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
+ac_link='$CC -o conftest$ac_exeext $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS $LDFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext $LIBS >&5'
+ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu
+if test -n "$ac_tool_prefix"; then
+  for ac_prog in clang gcc
+  do
+    # Extract the first word of "$ac_tool_prefix$ac_prog", so it can be a program name with args.
+set dummy $ac_tool_prefix$ac_prog; ac_word=$2
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for $ac_word" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for $ac_word... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_prog_CC+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  if test -n "$CC"; then
+  ac_cv_prog_CC="$CC" # Let the user override the test.
+else
+as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
+for as_dir in $PATH
+do
+  IFS=$as_save_IFS
+  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
+    for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
+  if as_fn_executable_p "$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
+    ac_cv_prog_CC="$ac_tool_prefix$ac_prog"
+    $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: found $as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
+    break 2
+  fi
+done
+  done
+IFS=$as_save_IFS
+
+fi
+fi
+CC=$ac_cv_prog_CC
+if test -n "$CC"; then
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $CC" >&5
+$as_echo "$CC" >&6; }
+else
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: no" >&5
+$as_echo "no" >&6; }
+fi
+
+
+    test -n "$CC" && break
+  done
+fi
+if test -z "$CC"; then
+  ac_ct_CC=$CC
+  for ac_prog in clang gcc
+do
+  # Extract the first word of "$ac_prog", so it can be a program name with args.
+set dummy $ac_prog; ac_word=$2
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for $ac_word" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for $ac_word... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_CC+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  if test -n "$ac_ct_CC"; then
+  ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_CC="$ac_ct_CC" # Let the user override the test.
+else
+as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
+for as_dir in $PATH
+do
+  IFS=$as_save_IFS
+  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
+    for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
+  if as_fn_executable_p "$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
+    ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_CC="$ac_prog"
+    $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: found $as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
+    break 2
+  fi
+done
+  done
+IFS=$as_save_IFS
+
+fi
+fi
+ac_ct_CC=$ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_CC
+if test -n "$ac_ct_CC"; then
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_ct_CC" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_ct_CC" >&6; }
+else
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: no" >&5
+$as_echo "no" >&6; }
+fi
+
+
+  test -n "$ac_ct_CC" && break
+done
+
+  if test "x$ac_ct_CC" = x; then
+    CC=""
+  else
+    case $cross_compiling:$ac_tool_warned in
+yes:)
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: using cross tools not prefixed with host triplet" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: using cross tools not prefixed with host triplet" >&2;}
+ac_tool_warned=yes ;;
+esac
+    CC=$ac_ct_CC
+  fi
+fi
+
+
+test -z "$CC" && { { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: error: in \`$ac_pwd':" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: error: in \`$ac_pwd':" >&2;}
+as_fn_error $? "no acceptable C compiler found in \$PATH
+See \`config.log' for more details" "$LINENO" 5; }
+
+# Provide some information about the compiler.
+$as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for C compiler version" >&5
+set X $ac_compile
+ac_compiler=$2
+for ac_option in --version -v -V -qversion; do
+  { { ac_try="$ac_compiler $ac_option >&5"
+case "(($ac_try" in
+  *\"* | *\`* | *\\*) ac_try_echo=\$ac_try;;
+  *) ac_try_echo=$ac_try;;
+esac
+eval ac_try_echo="\"\$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: $ac_try_echo\""
+$as_echo "$ac_try_echo"; } >&5
+  (eval "$ac_compiler $ac_option >&5") 2>conftest.err
+  ac_status=$?
+  if test -s conftest.err; then
+    sed '10a\
+... rest of stderr output deleted ...
+         10q' conftest.err >conftest.er1
+    cat conftest.er1 >&5
+  fi
+  rm -f conftest.er1 conftest.err
+  $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+  test $ac_status = 0; }
+done
+
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking whether we are using the GNU C compiler" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking whether we are using the GNU C compiler... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+
+int
+main ()
+{
+#ifndef __GNUC__
+       choke me
+#endif
+
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_compile "$LINENO"; then :
+  ac_compiler_gnu=yes
+else
+  ac_compiler_gnu=no
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
+ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu=$ac_compiler_gnu
+
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu" >&6; }
+if test $ac_compiler_gnu = yes; then
+  GCC=yes
+else
+  GCC=
+fi
+ac_test_CFLAGS=${CFLAGS+set}
+ac_save_CFLAGS=$CFLAGS
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking whether $CC accepts -g" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking whether $CC accepts -g... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_prog_cc_g+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  ac_save_c_werror_flag=$ac_c_werror_flag
+   ac_c_werror_flag=yes
+   ac_cv_prog_cc_g=no
+   CFLAGS="-g"
+   cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+
+int
+main ()
+{
+
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_compile "$LINENO"; then :
+  ac_cv_prog_cc_g=yes
+else
+  CFLAGS=""
+      cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+
+int
+main ()
+{
+
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_compile "$LINENO"; then :
+
+else
+  ac_c_werror_flag=$ac_save_c_werror_flag
+	 CFLAGS="-g"
+	 cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+
+int
+main ()
+{
+
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_compile "$LINENO"; then :
+  ac_cv_prog_cc_g=yes
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
+   ac_c_werror_flag=$ac_save_c_werror_flag
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_prog_cc_g" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_prog_cc_g" >&6; }
+if test "$ac_test_CFLAGS" = set; then
+  CFLAGS=$ac_save_CFLAGS
+elif test $ac_cv_prog_cc_g = yes; then
+  if test "$GCC" = yes; then
+    CFLAGS="-g -O2"
+  else
+    CFLAGS="-g"
+  fi
+else
+  if test "$GCC" = yes; then
+    CFLAGS="-O2"
+  else
+    CFLAGS=
+  fi
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for $CC option to accept ISO C89" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for $CC option to accept ISO C89... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_prog_cc_c89+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  ac_cv_prog_cc_c89=no
+ac_save_CC=$CC
+cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+#include <stdarg.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+struct stat;
+/* Most of the following tests are stolen from RCS 5.7's src/conf.sh.  */
+struct buf { int x; };
+FILE * (*rcsopen) (struct buf *, struct stat *, int);
+static char *e (p, i)
+     char **p;
+     int i;
+{
+  return p[i];
+}
+static char *f (char * (*g) (char **, int), char **p, ...)
+{
+  char *s;
+  va_list v;
+  va_start (v,p);
+  s = g (p, va_arg (v,int));
+  va_end (v);
+  return s;
+}
+
+/* OSF 4.0 Compaq cc is some sort of almost-ANSI by default.  It has
+   function prototypes and stuff, but not '\xHH' hex character constants.
+   These don't provoke an error unfortunately, instead are silently treated
+   as 'x'.  The following induces an error, until -std is added to get
+   proper ANSI mode.  Curiously '\x00'!='x' always comes out true, for an
+   array size at least.  It's necessary to write '\x00'==0 to get something
+   that's true only with -std.  */
+int osf4_cc_array ['\x00' == 0 ? 1 : -1];
+
+/* IBM C 6 for AIX is almost-ANSI by default, but it replaces macro parameters
+   inside strings and character constants.  */
+#define FOO(x) 'x'
+int xlc6_cc_array[FOO(a) == 'x' ? 1 : -1];
+
+int test (int i, double x);
+struct s1 {int (*f) (int a);};
+struct s2 {int (*f) (double a);};
+int pairnames (int, char **, FILE *(*)(struct buf *, struct stat *, int), int, int);
+int argc;
+char **argv;
+int
+main ()
+{
+return f (e, argv, 0) != argv[0]  ||  f (e, argv, 1) != argv[1];
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+for ac_arg in '' -qlanglvl=extc89 -qlanglvl=ansi -std \
+	-Ae "-Aa -D_HPUX_SOURCE" "-Xc -D__EXTENSIONS__"
+do
+  CC="$ac_save_CC $ac_arg"
+  if ac_fn_c_try_compile "$LINENO"; then :
+  ac_cv_prog_cc_c89=$ac_arg
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext
+  test "x$ac_cv_prog_cc_c89" != "xno" && break
+done
+rm -f conftest.$ac_ext
+CC=$ac_save_CC
+
+fi
+# AC_CACHE_VAL
+case "x$ac_cv_prog_cc_c89" in
+  x)
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: none needed" >&5
+$as_echo "none needed" >&6; } ;;
+  xno)
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: unsupported" >&5
+$as_echo "unsupported" >&6; } ;;
+  *)
+    CC="$CC $ac_cv_prog_cc_c89"
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_prog_cc_c89" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_prog_cc_c89" >&6; } ;;
+esac
+if test "x$ac_cv_prog_cc_c89" != xno; then :
+
+fi
+
+ac_ext=c
+ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
+ac_compile='$CC -c $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
+ac_link='$CC -o conftest$ac_exeext $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS $LDFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext $LIBS >&5'
+ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu
+
    case $ac_cv_prog_cc_stdc in #(
   no) :
     ac_cv_prog_cc_c99=no; ac_cv_prog_cc_c89=no ;; #(
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index a5a682405..427b00f29 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2350,6 +2350,7 @@ fi
 dnl
 dnl C compiler checks (to be done after os checks)
 dnl
+AC_PROG_CC([clang gcc])
 AC_PROG_CC_STDC
 AC_C_CONST
 AC_C_INLINE