diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 1ca2d9bbd4eb1a9b04d29c9b6cd944842acdabaa..e275223f0fbcb9ccf144441801fcf8489164d30f 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -69,6 +69,25 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE([mpi],
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVEMPI],[test -n "$MPICC"])
 
     
+# Check for metis
+AC_ARG_WITH([metis],
+    [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-metis=PATH],[prefix where the metis library is installed @<:@default=yes@:>@])],
+    [if test "x$with_metis" != "xno"
+     then
+        if test "x$with_metis" != "xyes" -a "x$with_metis" != "x"
+        then
+            METIS_LDFLAGS="-L$with_metis -lmetis"
+        else
+            METIS_LDFLAGS="-lmetis"
+        fi
+        AC_CHECK_LIB([metis],[METIS_PartGraphKway],,AC_MSG_ERROR(something is wrong with the metis library!),$METIS_LDFLAGS)
+        AC_DEFINE([HAVE_METIS],[true],[The metis library appears to be present.])
+	AC_DEFINE(WITH_METIS, 1, [METIS library installed])
+     fi])
+AC_SUBST(METIS_LDFLAGS)
+AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVEMETIS],[test -n "$METIS_LDFLAGS"])
+
+
 # check for zlib
 AC_CHECK_LIB(z,gzopen,[
     AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBZ],[1],[Set to 1 if zlib is installed.])