diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index c516fe1..41fcf0b 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -7,4 +7,8 @@ else
 espeakup_SOURCES += portaudio.c
 endif
 
+if STANDALONE
+espeakup_LDFLAGS = -all-static
+endif
+
 dist_man8_MANS = espeakup.8
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index d20967a..3d9c5c1 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -4,14 +4,21 @@
 AC_PREREQ([2.65])
 AC_INIT([espeakup], [0.71], [w.d.hubbs@gmail.com])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign])
+LT_INIT()
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([espeakup.c])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
 
 # process command line options
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([standalone],
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-standalone],[build a standalone executable])],
+	[],
+	[enable_standalone=no])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([STANDALONE], [test x$enable_standalone = xyes])
+
 AC_ARG_WITH([alsa],
-            [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-alsa],[build with ALSA support])],
-            [],
-            [with_alsa=no])
+	[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-alsa],[build with ALSA support])],
+	[],
+	[with_alsa=no])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([ALSA], [test x$with_alsa = xyes])
 
 # Checks for programs.
@@ -19,16 +26,23 @@ AC_PROG_CC
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 
 # Checks for libraries.
-if test x$with_alsa = xyes; then
-AC_SEARCH_LIBS([snd_pcm_open], [asound])
-fi
-AC_SEARCH_LIBS([espeak_Synth], [espeak])
+AC_SEARCH_LIBS([pow], [m], [],
+	[AC_MSG_FAILURE([math library missing -- unable to continue.])])
+AC_SEARCH_LIBS([pthread_create], [pthread], [],
+	[AC_MSG_FAILURE([threads library missing -- unable to continue.])])
+
+AS_IF([test x$with_alsa = xyes],
+	[AC_SEARCH_LIBS([snd_pcm_open], [asound], [], 
+		[AC_MSG_FAILURE([ALSA library missing -- unable to continue.])])])
+
+AC_SEARCH_LIBS([Pa_Initialize], [portaudio])
+AC_SEARCH_LIBS([espeak_Synth], [espeak], [],
+	[AC_MSG_FAILURE([espeak library missing -- unable to continue.])])
 
 # Checks for header files.
-AC_CHECK_HEADERS([fcntl.h limits.h stddef.h stdlib.h string.h unistd.h espeak/speak_lib.h])
-if test x$with_alsa = xyes; then
-AC_CHECK_HEADERS([alsa/asoundlib.h])
-fi
+AC_CHECK_HEADERS([fcntl.h limits.h stddef.h stdlib.h string.h unistd.h])
+AS_IF([test x$with_alsa = xyes],
+	[AC_CHECK_HEADERS([alsa/asoundlib.h])])
 
 # Checks for typedefs, structures, and compiler characteristics.
 AC_TYPE_PID_T