diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index b097064..0de76ec 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -977,6 +977,16 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(rcs-ids,
 AC_MSG_RESULT($with_rcs_ids)
 test "x$with_rcs_ids" = xyes && AC_DEFINE(USE_RCS_IDS,1,[Define to 1 to compile-in RCS identifiers])
 
+### Override configure-time check for having working poll() call
+AC_ARG_WITH(working-poll,
+	[  --with-working-poll     override check for working poll()],
+	[case "x$withval" in
+	(xyes|xno)
+		cf_forced_working_poll_result="$withval" ;;
+	(*)
+		;;
+	esac])
+
 ###############################################################################
 CF_MAN_PAGES([ captoinfo clear infocmp infotocap tabs tic toe tput tset ])
 
@@ -1583,7 +1593,11 @@ AC_CHECK_TYPE(ssize_t, int)
 CF_TYPE_SIGACTION
 CF_SIZECHANGE
 CF_FUNC_MEMMOVE
-CF_FUNC_POLL
+if test "x$cf_forced_working_poll_result" == x; then
+	CF_FUNC_POLL
+else
+	test "x$cf_forced_working_poll_result" = xyes && AC_DEFINE(HAVE_WORKING_POLL,1,[Define to 1 if the poll function seems to work])
+fi
 CF_VA_COPY
 AC_FUNC_VFORK