diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 4ca3d61eb5..b014e6b99c 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -338,6 +338,7 @@ Toolchain options:
 
 Advanced options (experts only):
   --malloc-prefix=PREFIX   prefix malloc and related names with PREFIX
+  --custom-allocator=NAME  use a supported custom allocator
   --disable-symver         disable symbol versioning
   --enable-hardcoded-tables use hardcoded tables instead of runtime generation
   --disable-safe-bitstream-reader
@@ -2011,6 +2012,7 @@ CMDLINE_SET="
     cc
     cpu
     cross_prefix
+    custom_allocator
     cxx
     dep_cc
     doxygen
@@ -5094,6 +5096,17 @@ check_builtin sync_val_compare_and_swap "" "int *ptr; int oldval, newval; __sync
 check_builtin gmtime_r time.h "time_t *time; struct tm *tm; gmtime_r(time, tm)"
 check_builtin localtime_r time.h "time_t *time; struct tm *tm; localtime_r(time, tm)"
 
+case "$custom_allocator" in
+    jemalloc)
+        # jemalloc by default does not use a prefix
+        require libjemalloc jemalloc/jemalloc.h malloc -ljemalloc
+    ;;
+    tcmalloc)
+        require_pkg_config libtcmalloc gperftools/tcmalloc.h tc_malloc
+        malloc_prefix=tc_
+    ;;
+esac
+
 check_func_headers malloc.h _aligned_malloc     && enable aligned_malloc
 check_func  ${malloc_prefix}memalign            && enable memalign
 check_func  ${malloc_prefix}posix_memalign      && enable posix_memalign