diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b926870..aef05e6 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ AM_CONFIG_HEADER(config.h)
 
 AC_PROG_CC
 AM_PROG_CC_C_O
+AC_PROG_CXX
+AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_CXX, test -n "$CXX")
 AC_PROG_LIBTOOL
 AC_STDC_HEADERS
 
@@ -18,6 +20,8 @@ AC_C_CONST
 AC_C_INLINE
 AC_TYPE_SIZE_T
 
+AC_CHECK_HEADERS(stdint.h inttypes.h sys/_inttypes.h)
+
 # $system should contain the name of this file.  It may be used by some
 # of the build scripts to do things that are specific to one single
 # type of system.
diff --git a/lib/misc/Makefile.am b/lib/misc/Makefile.am
index c94c06b..680c5a5 100644
--- a/lib/misc/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/misc/Makefile.am
@@ -4,13 +4,13 @@ pkglib_LTLIBRARIES = \
 	bitstring.la \
 	elk-eval.la \
 	hack.la \
-	newhandler.la \
 	regexp.la \
 	debug.la \
 	gdbm.la \
 	monitor.la \
 	record.la \
 	struct.la \
+	$(newhandler_la) \
 	$(NULL)
 
 bitstring_la_SOURCES = bitstring.c
@@ -25,10 +25,6 @@ hack_la_SOURCES = hack.c
 hack_la_LDFLAGS = -module -avoid-version
 hack_la_LIBADD = $(top_builddir)/src/libelk.la
 
-newhandler_la_SOURCES = newhandler.cpp
-newhandler_la_LDFLAGS = -module -avoid-version
-newhandler_la_LIBADD = $(top_builddir)/src/libelk.la
-
 regexp_la_SOURCES = regexp.c
 regexp_la_LDFLAGS = -module -avoid-version
 regexp_la_LIBADD = $(top_builddir)/src/libelk.la
@@ -53,3 +49,10 @@ struct_la_SOURCES = struct.c
 struct_la_LDFLAGS = -module -avoid-version
 struct_la_LIBADD = $(top_builddir)/src/libelk.la
 
+if HAVE_CXX
+newhandler_la = newhandler.la
+newhandler_la_SOURCES = newhandler.cpp
+newhandler_la_LDFLAGS = -module -avoid-version
+newhandler_la_LIBADD = $(top_builddir)/src/libelk.la
+endif
+