diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index ca270af93..6fddf13ae 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -26,14 +26,230 @@ dnl The install stuff has already been taken care of by the automake stuff
 dnl AC_PROG_INSTALL
 AC_PROG_MAKE_SET
 
+AC_DEFUN(CURL_CHECK_LOCALTIME_R,
+[
+  dnl check for a few thread-safe functions
+  AC_CHECK_FUNCS(localtime_r,[
+    AC_MSG_CHECKING(whether localtime_r is declared)
+    AC_EGREP_CPP(localtime_r,[
+#include <time.h>],[
+      AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)],[
+      AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+      AC_MSG_CHECKING(whether localtime_r with -D_REENTRANT is declared)
+      AC_EGREP_CPP(localtime_r,[
+#define _REENTRANT
+#include <time.h>],[
+	AC_DEFINE(NEED_REENTRANT)
+	AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)],
+	AC_MSG_RESULT(no))])])
+])
+
+AC_DEFUN(CURL_CHECK_INET_NTOA_R,
+[
+  dnl determine if function definition for inet_ntoa_r exists.
+  AC_CHECK_FUNCS(inet_ntoa_r,[
+    AC_MSG_CHECKING(whether inet_ntoa_r is declared)
+    AC_EGREP_CPP(inet_ntoa_r,[
+#include <arpa/inet.h>],[
+      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_INET_NTOA_R_DECL)
+      AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)],[
+      AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+      AC_MSG_CHECKING(whether inet_ntoa_r with -D_REENTRANT is declared)
+      AC_EGREP_CPP(inet_ntoa_r,[
+#define _REENTRANT
+#include <arpa/inet.h>],[
+	AC_DEFINE(HAVE_INET_NTOA_R_DECL)
+	AC_DEFINE(NEED_REENTRANT)
+	AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)],
+	AC_MSG_RESULT(no))])])
+
+])
+
+AC_DEFUN(CURL_CHECK_GETHOSTBYADDR_R,
+[
+  dnl check for number of arguments to gethostbyaddr_r. it might take
+  dnl either 5, 7, or 8 arguments.
+  AC_CHECK_FUNCS(gethostbyaddr_r,[
+    AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyaddr_r takes 5 arguments)
+    AC_TRY_COMPILE([
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <netdb.h>],[
+char * address;
+int length;
+int type;
+struct hostent h;
+struct hostent_data hdata;
+int rc;
+rc = gethostbyaddr_r(address, length, type, &h, &hdata);],[
+      AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYADDR_R_5)
+      ac_cv_gethostbyaddr_args=5],[
+      AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+      AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyaddr_r with -D_REENTRANT takes 5 arguments)
+      AC_TRY_COMPILE([
+#define _REENTRANT
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <netdb.h>],[
+char * address;
+int length;
+int type;
+struct hostent h;
+struct hostent_data hdata;
+int rc;
+rc = gethostbyaddr_r(address, length, type, &h, &hdata);],[
+	AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+	AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYADDR_R_5)
+	AC_DEFINE(NEED_REENTRANT)
+	ac_cv_gethostbyaddr_args=5],[
+	AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+	AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyaddr_r takes 7 arguments)
+	AC_TRY_COMPILE([
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <netdb.h>],[
+char * address;
+int length;
+int type;
+struct hostent h;
+char buffer[8192];
+int h_errnop;
+struct hostent * hp;
+
+hp = gethostbyaddr_r(address, length, type, &h,
+                     buffer, 8192, &h_errnop);],[
+	  AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+	  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYADDR_R_7)
+	  ac_cv_gethostbyaddr_args=7],[
+	  AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+	  AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyaddr_r takes 8 arguments)
+	  AC_TRY_COMPILE([
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <netdb.h>],[
+char * address;
+int length;
+int type;
+struct hostent h;
+char buffer[8192];
+int h_errnop;
+struct hostent * hp;
+int rc;
+
+rc = gethostbyaddr_r(address, length, type, &h,
+                     buffer, 8192, &hp, &h_errnop);],[
+	    AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+	    AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYADDR_R_8)
+	    ac_cv_gethostbyaddr_args=8],[
+	    AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+	    have_missing_r_funcs="$have_missing_r_funcs gethostbyaddr_r"])])])])])
+
+
+])
+
+AC_DEFUN(CURL_CHECK_GETHOSTBYNAME_R,
+[
+  dnl check for number of arguments to gethostbyname_r. it might take
+  dnl either 3, 5, or 6 arguments.
+  AC_CHECK_FUNCS(gethostbyname_r,[
+    AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyname_r takes 3 arguments)
+    AC_TRY_RUN([
+#include <string.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <netdb.h>
+
+int
+main () {
+struct hostent h;
+struct hostent_data hdata;
+char *name = "localhost";
+int rc;
+memset(&h, 0, sizeof(struct hostent));
+memset(&hdata, 0, sizeof(struct hostent_data));
+rc = gethostbyname_r(name, &h, &hdata);
+exit (rc != 0 ? 1 : 0); }],[
+      AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYNAME_R_3)
+      ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=3],[
+      AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+      AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyname_r with -D_REENTRANT takes 3 arguments)
+      AC_TRY_RUN([
+#define _REENTRANT
+
+#include <string.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <netdb.h>
+
+int
+main () {
+struct hostent h;
+struct hostent_data hdata;
+char *name = "localhost";
+int rc;
+memset(&h, 0, sizeof(struct hostent));
+memset(&hdata, 0, sizeof(struct hostent_data));
+rc = gethostbyname_r(name, &h, &hdata);
+exit (rc != 0 ? 1 : 0); }],[
+	AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+	AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYNAME_R_3)
+	AC_DEFINE(NEED_REENTRANT)
+	ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=3],[
+	AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+	AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyname_r takes 5 arguments)
+	AC_TRY_RUN([
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <netdb.h>
+
+int
+main () {
+struct hostent *hp;
+struct hostent h;
+char *name = "localhost";
+char buffer[8192];
+int h_errno;
+hp = gethostbyname_r(name, &h, buffer, 8192, &h_errno);
+exit (hp == NULL ? 1 : 0); }],[
+	  AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+	  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYNAME_R_5)
+          ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=5],[
+	  AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+	  AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyname_r takes 6 arguments)
+	  AC_TRY_RUN([
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <netdb.h>
+
+int
+main () {
+struct hostent h;
+struct hostent *hp;
+char *name = "localhost";
+char buf[8192];
+int rc;
+int h_errno;
+rc = gethostbyname_r(name, &h, buf, 8192, &hp, &h_errno);
+exit (rc != 0 ? 1 : 0); }],[
+	    AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+	    AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYNAME_R_6)
+            ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=6],[
+	    AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+	    have_missing_r_funcs="$have_missing_r_funcs gethostbyname_r"],
+	    [ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=0])],
+	  [ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=0])],
+	[ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=0])],
+      [ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=0])])
+
+])
+
 
 dnl **********************************************************************
 dnl Checks for libraries.
 dnl **********************************************************************
 
-dnl nsl lib?
+dnl gethostbyname in the nsl lib?
 AC_CHECK_FUNC(gethostbyname, , AC_CHECK_LIB(nsl, gethostbyname))
 
+if test "$ac_cv_lib_nsl_gethostbyname" != "yes" -a "$ac_cv_func_gethostbyname" != "yes"; then
+  dnl gethostbyname in the socket lib?
+  AC_CHECK_FUNC(gethostbyname, , AC_CHECK_LIB(socket, gethostbyname))
+fi
+
 dnl At least one system has been identified to require BOTH nsl and
 dnl socket libs to link properly.
 if test "$ac_cv_lib_nsl_gethostbyname" = "$ac_cv_func_gethostbyname"; then
@@ -256,200 +472,19 @@ then
   AC_DEFINE(DISABLED_THREADSAFE, 1, \
 Set to explicitly specify we don't want to use thread-safe functions)
 else
-  dnl check for number of arguments to gethostbyname_r. it might take
-  dnl either 3, 5, or 6 arguments.
-  AC_CHECK_FUNCS(gethostbyname_r,[
-    AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyname_r takes 3 arguments)
-    AC_TRY_RUN([
-#include <string.h>
-#include <sys/types.h>
-#include <netdb.h>
 
-int
-main () {
-struct hostent h;
-struct hostent_data hdata;
-char *name = "localhost";
-int rc;
-memset(&h, 0, sizeof(struct hostent));
-memset(&hdata, 0, sizeof(struct hostent_data));
-rc = gethostbyname_r(name, &h, &hdata);
-exit (rc != 0 ? 1 : 0); }],[
-      AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
-      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYNAME_R_3)
-      ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=3],[
-      AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
-      AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyname_r with -D_REENTRANT takes 3 arguments)
-      AC_TRY_RUN([
-#define _REENTRANT
+  dnl dig around for gethostbyname_r()
+  CURL_CHECK_GETHOSTBYNAME_R()
 
-#include <string.h>
-#include <sys/types.h>
-#include <netdb.h>
+  dnl dig around for gethostbyaddr_r()
+  CURL_CHECK_GETHOSTBYADDR_R()
 
-int
-main () {
-struct hostent h;
-struct hostent_data hdata;
-char *name = "localhost";
-int rc;
-memset(&h, 0, sizeof(struct hostent));
-memset(&hdata, 0, sizeof(struct hostent_data));
-rc = gethostbyname_r(name, &h, &hdata);
-exit (rc != 0 ? 1 : 0); }],[
-	AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
-	AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYNAME_R_3)
-	AC_DEFINE(NEED_REENTRANT)
-	ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=3],[
-	AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyname_r takes 5 arguments)
-	AC_TRY_RUN([
-#include <sys/types.h>
-#include <netdb.h>
+  dnl poke around for inet_ntoa_r()
+  CURL_CHECK_INET_NTOA_R()
 
-int
-main () {
-struct hostent *hp;
-struct hostent h;
-char *name = "localhost";
-char buffer[8192];
-int h_errno;
-hp = gethostbyname_r(name, &h, buffer, 8192, &h_errno);
-exit (hp == NULL ? 1 : 0); }],[
-	  AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
-	  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYNAME_R_5)
-          ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=5],[
-	  AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
-	  AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyname_r takes 6 arguments)
-	  AC_TRY_RUN([
-#include <sys/types.h>
-#include <netdb.h>
+  dnl is there a localtime_r()
+  CURL_CHECK_LOCALTIME_R()
 
-int
-main () {
-struct hostent h;
-struct hostent *hp;
-char *name = "localhost";
-char buf[8192];
-int rc;
-int h_errno;
-rc = gethostbyname_r(name, &h, buf, 8192, &hp, &h_errno);
-exit (rc != 0 ? 1 : 0); }],[
-	    AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
-	    AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYNAME_R_6)
-            ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=6],[
-	    AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
-	    have_missing_r_funcs="$have_missing_r_funcs gethostbyname_r"],
-	    [ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=0])],
-	  [ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=0])],
-	[ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=0])],
-      [ac_cv_gethostbyname_args=0])])
-
-  dnl check for number of arguments to gethostbyaddr_r. it might take
-  dnl either 5, 7, or 8 arguments.
-  AC_CHECK_FUNCS(gethostbyaddr_r,[
-    AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyaddr_r takes 5 arguments)
-    AC_TRY_COMPILE([
-#include <sys/types.h>
-#include <netdb.h>],[
-char * address;
-int length;
-int type;
-struct hostent h;
-struct hostent_data hdata;
-int rc;
-rc = gethostbyaddr_r(address, length, type, &h, &hdata);],[
-      AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
-      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYADDR_R_5)
-      ac_cv_gethostbyaddr_args=5],[
-      AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
-      AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyaddr_r with -D_REENTRANT takes 5 arguments)
-      AC_TRY_COMPILE([
-#define _REENTRANT
-#include <sys/types.h>
-#include <netdb.h>],[
-char * address;
-int length;
-int type;
-struct hostent h;
-struct hostent_data hdata;
-int rc;
-rc = gethostbyaddr_r(address, length, type, &h, &hdata);],[
-	AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
-	AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYADDR_R_5)
-	AC_DEFINE(NEED_REENTRANT)
-	ac_cv_gethostbyaddr_args=5],[
-	AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyaddr_r takes 7 arguments)
-	AC_TRY_COMPILE([
-#include <sys/types.h>
-#include <netdb.h>],[
-char * address;
-int length;
-int type;
-struct hostent h;
-char buffer[8192];
-int h_errnop;
-struct hostent * hp;
-
-hp = gethostbyaddr_r(address, length, type, &h,
-                     buffer, 8192, &h_errnop);],[
-	  AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
-	  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYADDR_R_7)
-	  ac_cv_gethostbyaddr_args=7],[
-	  AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
-	  AC_MSG_CHECKING(if gethostbyaddr_r takes 8 arguments)
-	  AC_TRY_COMPILE([
-#include <sys/types.h>
-#include <netdb.h>],[
-char * address;
-int length;
-int type;
-struct hostent h;
-char buffer[8192];
-int h_errnop;
-struct hostent * hp;
-int rc;
-
-rc = gethostbyaddr_r(address, length, type, &h,
-                     buffer, 8192, &hp, &h_errnop);],[
-	    AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
-	    AC_DEFINE(HAVE_GETHOSTBYADDR_R_8)
-	    ac_cv_gethostbyaddr_args=8],[
-	    AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
-	    have_missing_r_funcs="$have_missing_r_funcs gethostbyaddr_r"])])])])])
-
-  dnl determine if function definition for inet_ntoa_r exists.
-  AC_CHECK_FUNCS(inet_ntoa_r,[
-    AC_MSG_CHECKING(whether inet_ntoa_r is declared)
-    AC_EGREP_CPP(inet_ntoa_r,[
-#include <arpa/inet.h>],[
-      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_INET_NTOA_R_DECL)
-      AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)],[
-      AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
-      AC_MSG_CHECKING(whether inet_ntoa_r with -D_REENTRANT is declared)
-      AC_EGREP_CPP(inet_ntoa_r,[
-#define _REENTRANT
-#include <arpa/inet.h>],[
-	AC_DEFINE(HAVE_INET_NTOA_R_DECL)
-	AC_DEFINE(NEED_REENTRANT)
-	AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)],
-	AC_MSG_RESULT(no))])])
-
-  dnl check for a few thread-safe functions
-  AC_CHECK_FUNCS(localtime_r,[
-    AC_MSG_CHECKING(whether localtime_r is declared)
-    AC_EGREP_CPP(localtime_r,[
-#include <time.h>],[
-      AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)],[
-      AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
-      AC_MSG_CHECKING(whether localtime_r with -D_REENTRANT is declared)
-      AC_EGREP_CPP(localtime_r,[
-#define _REENTRANT
-#include <time.h>],[
-	AC_DEFINE(NEED_REENTRANT)
-	AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)],
-	AC_MSG_RESULT(no))])])
 fi
 
 dnl **********************************************************************