diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a935d9dba..77f4d1896 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ bld_rel_x64/*
 # Auto generated files.
 config.log
 config.status
-configure
 install_tactic.cpp
 mem_initializer.cpp
 gparams_register_modules.cpp
diff --git a/configure b/configure
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..29408d3e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/configure
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+if test -z $PYTHON; then
+   PYTHON=python
+fi
+
+if ! which $PYTHON > /dev/null; then
+   echo "'$PYTHON' not found. Try to set the environment variable PYTHON."
+   exit 1
+fi
+
+
+if ! $PYTHON -c "print('testing')" > /dev/null ; then
+   echo "'$PYTHON' failed to execute basic test script. Try to set the environment variable PYTHON with a working Python interpreter."
+   exit 1
+fi
+
+$PYTHON scripts/mk_make.py $*