diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 93dbb82..ab8ea21 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ AC_PREREQ(2.50)
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR(autotools)
 AC_CANONICAL_SYSTEM
 
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(elk, 3.99.0)
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(elk, 3.99.1)
 AM_CONFIG_HEADER(config.h)
 
 AC_PROG_CC
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ AC_DEFINE(USE_DLOPEN, 1, [FIXME HARD])
 # with a special character (such as underline)?  If so, syms_begin_with
 # should hold this character, otherwise leave it empty.
 if false; then
-  AC_DEFINE(SYMS_BEGIN_WITH, 1, [FIXME HARD])
+  AC_DEFINE(SYMS_BEGIN_WITH, ['_'], [FIXME HARD])
 fi
 
 # The symbol prefixes of extension initialization and finalization
@@ -367,18 +367,6 @@ else
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_CXX, test "${ac_cv_my_have_cxx}" = "yes")
 
-AC_CACHE_CHECK([__attribute__ ((noreturn)) support],
-  [ac_cv_c_attribute_noreturn],
-  [ac_cv_c_attribute_noreturn=no
-    CFLAGS="${CFLAGS_save} -Werror"
-    AC_TRY_COMPILE([],
-    [extern void foobar() __attribute__ ((noreturn));],
-    [ac_cv_c_attribute_noreturn=yes])
-    CFLAGS="${CFLAGS_save}"])
-if test "${ac_cv_c_attribute_noreturn}" != "no"; then
-  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_NORETURN, 1, Support for __attribute__((noreturn)))
-fi
-
 AC_CACHE_CHECK([if \$CC accepts -Wall],
   [ac_cv_c_Wall],
   [CFLAGS="-Wall ${CFLAGS_save}"
@@ -478,7 +466,7 @@ cat << EOF
 
 Configuration summary
 ---------------------
-C++ support: ${ac_cv_my_have_cxx}
+build C++ plugins: ${ac_cv_my_have_cxx}
 libgdbm support: ${ac_cv_my_have_xaw}
 X11 support: ${ac_cv_my_have_x11}
 Xaw support: ${ac_cv_my_have_xaw}
diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index 3a2a26b..9cc0068 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -109,13 +109,8 @@ extern Object The_Environment, Global_Environment;
 
 /* Error handling
  */
-#ifdef HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_NORETURN
-extern void Primitive_Error P_((const char*, ...)) __attribute__ ((__noreturn__));
-extern void Fatal_Error P_((const char*, ...)) __attribute__ ((__noreturn__));
-#else
-extern void Primitive_Error P_((const char*, ...));
-extern void Fatal_Error P_((const char*, ...));
-#endif
+extern void Primitive_Error P_((const char*, ...)) elk_attribute(__noreturn__);
+extern void Fatal_Error P_((const char*, ...)) elk_attribute(__noreturn__);
 extern void Range_Error P_((Object));
 extern void Panic P_((const char*));
 extern Object P_Error P_((int, Object*));
@@ -473,14 +468,9 @@ extern void Terminate_Type P_((int));
  */
 extern TYPEDESCR *Types;
 extern Object P_Type P_((Object));
-#ifdef HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_NORETURN
-extern void Wrong_Type P_((Object, int)) __attribute__ ((__noreturn__));
+extern void Wrong_Type P_((Object, int)) elk_attribute(__noreturn__);
 extern void Wrong_Type_Combination P_((Object, const char*))
-    __attribute__ ((__noreturn__));
-#else
-extern void Wrong_Type P_((Object, int));
-extern void Wrong_Type_Combination P_((Object, const char*));
-#endif
+    elk_attribute(__noreturn__);
 extern int Define_Type P_((int, const char*, int (*)(Object), int,
     int (*)(Object, Object), int (*)(Object, Object),
     int (*)(Object, Object, int, int, int),
diff --git a/include/misc.h b/include/misc.h
index f9e89e9..e37a858 100644
--- a/include/misc.h
+++ b/include/misc.h
@@ -28,28 +28,6 @@
  * THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY FOR THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-#ifndef __GNUC__
-#  define __asm__ asm
-#endif
-
-#ifndef HUGE
-#  define HUGE HUGE_VAL
-#endif
-
-
-/* Arithmetic shift right for compilers that don't sign extend:
- */
-#if (-1 >> 1) < 0
-#  define ASR(n,s)    ((n) >>= (s))
-#else
-#  define NBITS(v)    ((sizeof v) * 8)
-#  define HIBIT(v,n)  (NBITS(v) - (n))
-#  define ASR(n,s)    ((n) >>= (s),\
-                         ((n) & (1 << (HIBIT((n),(s)) - 1)) ?\
-                            ((n) |= ~(((unsigned)1 << HIBIT((n),(s))) - 1)) :\
-                            (n)))
-#endif
-
 extern Object False2;
 
 #define Nullp(x)    (TYPE(x) == T_Null)
diff --git a/include/site.h.in b/include/site.h.in
index 4bf49d5..8f33379 100644
--- a/include/site.h.in
+++ b/include/site.h.in
@@ -31,3 +31,35 @@
 /* The C99 integers header */
 #include <@STDINT_HEADER@>
 
+/* C Compiler features */
+#ifndef __GNUC__
+#  define __asm__ asm
+#endif
+
+#ifndef HUGE
+#  define HUGE HUGE_VAL
+#endif
+
+/* Under gcc, we use the __attribute__ macro to tell the compiler that a
+ * function does not return. */
+#ifdef __GNUC__
+#  define elk_attribute(att) __attribute__ ((att))
+#else
+#  define elk_attribute(att) /* */
+#endif
+
+
+/* Arithmetic shift right for compilers that don't sign extend:
+ */
+#if (-1 >> 1) < 0
+#  define ASR(n,s)    ((n) >>= (s))
+#else
+#  define NBITS(v)    ((sizeof v) * 8)
+#  define HIBIT(v,n)  (NBITS(v) - (n))
+#  define ASR(n,s)    ((n) >>= (s),\
+                         ((n) & (1 << (HIBIT((n),(s)) - 1)) ?\
+                            ((n) |= ~(((unsigned)1 << HIBIT((n),(s))) - 1)) :\
+                            (n)))
+#endif
+
+
diff --git a/src/error.c b/src/error.c
index 0174e93..2f8abcb 100644
--- a/src/error.c
+++ b/src/error.c
@@ -36,13 +36,8 @@
 
 #include "kernel.h"
 
-#ifdef HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_NORETURN
-void Reset () __attribute__ ((__noreturn__));
-void Err_Handler () __attribute__ ((__noreturn__));
-#else
-void Reset ();
-void Err_Handler ();
-#endif
+void Reset () elk_attribute(__noreturn__);
+void Err_Handler () elk_attribute(__noreturn__);
 
 Object Arg_True;
 
diff --git a/src/exception.c b/src/exception.c
index 30b25c7..c6db738 100644
--- a/src/exception.c
+++ b/src/exception.c
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@
 
 #include "kernel.h"
 
-#ifdef HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_NORETURN
-extern void Reset () __attribute__ ((__noreturn__));
-#else
-extern void Reset ();
-#endif
+extern void Reset () elk_attribute(__noreturn__);
 
 int Intr_Was_Ignored;
 unsigned long int Intr_Level;
diff --git a/src/libelk.c b/src/libelk.c
index 41c1f85..de05242 100644
--- a/src/libelk.c
+++ b/src/libelk.c
@@ -122,11 +122,7 @@ void Exit_Handler () {
 #ifndef HAVE_ATEXIT
 /* Hack: __GNUC_MINOR__ was introduced together with __attribute__ */
 #ifdef __GNUC_MINOR__
-#ifdef HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_NORETURN
-extern void _exit() __attribute__ ((noreturn));
-#else
-extern void _exit();
-#endif
+extern void _exit() elk_attribute(__noreturn__);
 #endif
 #ifndef PROFILING
 void exit (n) {
diff --git a/src/proc.c b/src/proc.c
index 3e1e8aa..400581c 100644
--- a/src/proc.c
+++ b/src/proc.c
@@ -57,12 +57,8 @@
 extern void Switch_Environment (Object);
 extern unsigned int Stack_Size ();
 extern void Uncatchable_Error (char *);
-#ifdef HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_NORETURN
 extern void Funcall_Control_Point (Object, Object, int)
-        __attribute__ ((__noreturn__));
-#else
-extern void Funcall_Control_Point (Object, Object, int);
-#endif
+        elk_attribute(__noreturn__);
 extern void Pop_Frame ();
 extern void Push_Frame (Object);
 
diff --git a/src/read.c b/src/read.c
index c404b76..01d915d 100644
--- a/src/read.c
+++ b/src/read.c
@@ -54,11 +54,7 @@ extern char *index();
 extern double atof();
 
 int Skip_Comment (Object);
-#ifdef HAVE_ATTRIBUTE_NORETURN
-void Reader_Error (Object, char *) __attribute__ ((__noreturn__));
-#else
-void Reader_Error (Object, char *);
-#endif
+void Reader_Error (Object, char *) elk_attribute(__noreturn__);
 
 Object Sym_Quote,
        Sym_Quasiquote,