diff --git a/Jamrules b/Jamrules
index d6215a75d5..b17c9723dc 100644
--- a/Jamrules
+++ b/Jamrules
@@ -46,6 +46,27 @@ LOCATE on $(HCACHEFILE) $(JCACHEFILE) = $(OBOS_BUILD_DIR) ;
 	include BuildConfig ;
 }
 
+# analyze GCC version
+if ! $(GCC_RAW_VERSION) {
+	ECHO "Variable GCC_RAW_VERSION not set. Please run ./configure or" ;
+	EXIT "specify it manually." ;
+}
+GCC_VERSION = ;
+{
+	# split the raw version string at `.' and `-' characters
+	local version = $(GCC_RAW_VERSION) ;
+	while $(version) {
+		local split = [ Match "([^.-]*)[.-](.*)" : $(version) ] ;
+		if $(split) {
+			GCC_VERSION += $(split[1]) ;
+			version = $(split[2]) ;
+		} else {
+			GCC_VERSION += $(version) ;
+			version = ;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 # Save the platform default headers.
 PLATFORM_DEFAULT_HEADERS = $(HDRS) ;
 
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index b8a16fe780..ab1f8890e7 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ standard_gcc_settings()
 	# PLATFORM_LINKLIBS
 	gcclib=`gcc -print-libgcc-file-name`
 	gccdir=`dirname ${gcclib}`
+	gcc_version=`gcc --version`
 	if [ "x${PLATFORM_LINKLIBS}" == "x" ] ; then
 		PLATFORM_LINKLIBS="-L ${gccdir} -lgcc"
 	fi
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ standard_gcc_settings()
 # default parameter values
 #
 platform=`uname`
+gcc_version=
 floppy=
 bochs_debug=0
 
@@ -99,6 +101,7 @@ cat << EOF > build/BuildConfig
 FLOPPY_PATH			?= "${floppy}" ;
 PLATFORM_LINKLIBS	?= ${PLATFORM_LINKLIBS} ;
 PLATFORM_HEADERS	?= ${PLATFORM_HEADERS} ;
+GCC_RAW_VERSION		?= ${gcc_version}
 BOCHS_DEBUG_HACK	?= ${bochs_debug} ;
 EOF