diff --git a/acconfig.h b/acconfig.h
index 42a94dfe50..f691728a46 100644
--- a/acconfig.h
+++ b/acconfig.h
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@
 /* limits.h header present */
 #undef HAVE_LIMITS_H
 
+/* ieeefp.h header present */
+#undef HAVE_IEEEFP_H
+
 /* memcpy present */
 #undef HAVE_MEMCPY
 
diff --git a/config.h.in b/config.h.in
index 1acc94e433..e935d067cb 100644
--- a/config.h.in
+++ b/config.h.in
@@ -126,6 +126,9 @@
 /* Define if you have the <argz.h> header file.  */
 #undef HAVE_ARGZ_H
 
+/* Define if you have the <ieeefp.h> header file.  */
+#undef HAVE_IEEEFP_H
+
 /* Define if you have the <limits.h> header file.  */
 #undef HAVE_LIMITS_H
 
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 71f2c400bc..691b830a63 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ AC_C_BIGENDIAN
 AC_PROG_MAKE_SET
 AC_HEADER_STDC
 
-AC_CHECK_HEADERS(limits.h)
+AC_CHECK_HEADERS(limits.h ieeefp.h)
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS(stpcpy memcpy)   
 
 AM_PATH_GLIB
diff --git a/src/engine/util.c b/src/engine/util.c
index 037609573d..414e04adfe 100644
--- a/src/engine/util.c
+++ b/src/engine/util.c
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 
+#ifdef HAVE_IEEEFP_H
+#  include <ieeefp.h>    /* for finite in Solaris 8 */
+#endif
+
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <glib.h>