diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 8120ee23..51867f2c 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ baseos=`$full_pathname/scripts/getbaseos`;
 
 installdir=/usr/local/cad
 
-if [ $# -eq 1 ]
+if [ $# -gt 0 ]
 then
       installdir=$1
 fi
@@ -92,6 +92,16 @@ then
     mkdir $installdir/act
 fi
 
+# get additional CFLAGS and pass them through
+if [ $# -gt 1 ]
+then
+    case $2 in
+    "CFLAGS="*) addon_cflags=${2#CFLAGS=}
+     addon_cflags=${addon_cflags#\"}
+     addon_cflags=${addon_cflags#\'}
+     echo "CFLAGS: $addon_cflags"
+    esac
+fi
 
 #
 # shared linking on macos
@@ -101,6 +111,13 @@ then
     sh_build=-fPIC 
     sh_link=-dynamiclib
     sh_exe_options=
+elif [ "x$baseos" = "xlinux" ] || [ "x$baseos" = "xsolaris" ]
+then
+    sh_build="\"-shared -DPIC -fPIC\""
+    # the RUNPATH shared object search parameter are relative the location of the binary during runtime, and as backup the compile time $ACT_HOME path is used
+    # libraries and executables are parsed differently by the build system hand have therefor different escape patterns
+    sh_link="\"-shared -Wl,-x,-rpath=\\\$ORIGIN/../lib,-rpath=$ACT_HOME/lib\""
+    sh_exe_options="\"-Wl,-rpath=\\$\$ORIGIN/../lib,-rpath=$ACT_HOME/lib\""
 else
     sh_build="\"-shared -DPIC -fPIC\""
     sh_link="\"-shared -Wl,-x,-rpath=$ACT_HOME/lib\""
@@ -110,7 +127,8 @@ fi
 
 c_compiler_name=gcc
 cxx_compiler_name=g++
-c_compiler_flags=-O2
+# the double parentesis are needed beause of double parcing in the check script and are removed in the makefile to have the intended behaviour
+c_compiler_flags="\"-O2 ${addon_cflags}\""
 make_program=gmake
 myranlib=ranlib
 
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.std b/scripts/Makefile.std
index 4dba46f1..7f6434f3 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.std
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.std
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ DFLAGS=-DARCH_$(ARCH) -DOS_$(OS) -DBASEOS_$(BASEOS) -I$(INSTALLINC) # -D_FORTIFY
 ifndef DEPEND_FLAGS
 DEPEND_FLAGS=-I.
 endif
-CFLAGS=$(C_COMPILER_FLAGS) 
+CFLAGS=$(subst ",,$(C_COMPILER_FLAGS)) 
 
 
 all: installincsub dependsub allsub move-in $(TARGETLIBS) install_lib install_inc $(TARGETS) $(EXTRA) move-out postsub
diff --git a/scripts/check b/scripts/check
index 8764ea7e..392f97c5 100755
--- a/scripts/check
+++ b/scripts/check
@@ -66,9 +66,9 @@ int main (void)
 
 EOM
 
-
+# the $C_COMPILER_FLAGS enable to load so files form a custom path
 echo "  ... looking for editline"
-if ! $C_COMPILER_NAME -c __tst1.c  >/dev/null 2>&1
+if ! $C_COMPILER_NAME $C_COMPILER_FLAGS -c __tst1.c  >/dev/null 2>&1
 then
 	rm -f __tst1.c
 	echo "Did not find libeditline on the system"
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ then
 fi
 
 echo "  ... looking for zlib"
-if ! $C_COMPILER_NAME __tst1.o -lz >/dev/null 2>&1
+if ! $C_COMPILER_NAME $C_COMPILER_FLAGS __tst1.o -lz >/dev/null 2>&1
 then
 	rm -f __tst1.c
 	echo "Did not find zlib on the system"
diff --git a/simulation/prsim/Makefile b/simulation/prsim/Makefile
index 017d3bc2..7887cd9a 100644
--- a/simulation/prsim/Makefile
+++ b/simulation/prsim/Makefile
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ SRCS=$(OBJS:.o=.c)
 include $(VLSI_TOOLS_SRC)/scripts/Makefile.std
 
 $(BIN1): $(LIB) $(OBJS1) $(LIBDEPEND) $(SCMCLIDEPEND)
-	$(CXX) $(CFLAGS) $(OBJS1) -o $(BIN1) $(LIBCOMMON) $(LIBACTSCMCLI) -ledit -ldl
+	$(CXX) $(CFLAGS) $(OBJS1) -o $(BIN1) $(LIBCOMMON) $(LIBACTSCMCLI) -ledit $(SH_EXE_OPTIONS) -ldl
 
 $(BIN2): $(LIB) $(OBJS2) $(LIBDEPEND)
 	$(CXX) $(CFLAGS) $(OBJS2) -o $(BIN2) $(LIBCOMMON)