diff --git a/configure b/configure
index f1773044..46063b5d 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -602,6 +602,19 @@ if [ $WITH_DOCS = "1" ] ; then
     fi
 fi
 
+have_gpgconf_socketdir=0
+printf "Checking for gpgconf --{create,remove}-socketdir... "
+if gpgconf --dump-options > /dev/null ; then
+    if gpgconf --dump-options | grep -q create-socketdir ; then
+	printf "Yes.\n"
+	have_gpgconf_socketdir=1
+    else
+	printf "No.\n"
+    fi
+else
+    printf "No. (missing or broken gpgconf?)\n"
+fi
+
 libdir_in_ldconfig=0
 
 printf "Checking which platform we are on... "
@@ -1179,6 +1192,9 @@ NOTMUCH_PYTHON=${python}
 # Are the ruby development files (and ruby) available? If not skip
 # building/testing ruby bindings.
 NOTMUCH_HAVE_RUBY_DEV=${have_ruby_dev}
+
+# Recent enough gnupg to support gpgconf --create-socketdir?
+NOTMUCH_HAVE_GPGCONF_SOCKETDIR=${have_gpgconf_socketdir}
 EOF
 
 # Finally, after everything configured, inform the user how to continue.