diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index e6daad0f6..cd272be7c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -108,75 +108,11 @@ m4_include([m4/guestfs_daemon.m4])
 dnl The appliance and any dependencies.
 m4_include([m4/guestfs_appliance.m4])
 
-dnl Check if crypt() is provided by a separate library.
-old_LIBS="$LIBS"
-AC_SEARCH_LIBS([crypt],[crypt])
-LIBS="$old_LIBS"
-if test "$ac_cv_search_crypt" = "-lcrypt" ; then
-  LIBCRYPT_LIBS="-lcrypt"
-fi
-AC_SUBST([LIBCRYPT_LIBS])
-
-dnl liblzma can be used by virt-builder (optional).
-PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBLZMA], [liblzma], [
-    AC_SUBST([LIBLZMA_CFLAGS])
-    AC_SUBST([LIBLZMA_LIBS])
-    AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBLZMA],[1],[liblzma found at compile time.])
-
-    dnl Old lzma in RHEL 6 didn't have some APIs we need.
-    old_LIBS="$LIBS"
-    LIBS="$LIBS $LIBLZMA_LIBS"
-    AC_CHECK_FUNCS([lzma_index_stream_flags lzma_index_stream_padding])
-    LIBS="$old_LIBS"
-],
-[AC_MSG_WARN([liblzma not found, virt-builder will be slower])])
-
 dnl Check for QEMU.
 m4_include([m4/guestfs_qemu.m4])
 
-dnl Readline.
-AC_ARG_WITH([readline],[
-    AS_HELP_STRING([--with-readline],
-        [support fancy command line editing @<:@default=check@:>@])],
-    [],
-    [with_readline=check])
-
-LIBREADLINE=
-AS_IF([test "x$with_readline" != xno],[
-    AC_CHECK_LIB([readline], [main],
-        [AC_SUBST([LIBREADLINE], ["-lreadline -lncurses"])
-         AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBREADLINE], [1],
-                   [Define if you have libreadline.])
-        ],
-        [if test "x$with_readline" != xcheck; then
-         AC_MSG_FAILURE(
-             [--with-readline was given, but test for readline failed])
-         fi
-        ], -lncurses)
-    old_LIBS="$LIBS"
-    LIBS="$LIBS $LIBREADLINE"
-    AC_CHECK_FUNCS([append_history completion_matches rl_completion_matches])
-    LIBS="$old_LIBS"
-    ])
-
-dnl libconfig (highly recommended)
-PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBCONFIG], [libconfig],[
-    AC_SUBST([LIBCONFIG_CFLAGS])
-    AC_SUBST([LIBCONFIG_LIBS])
-    AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBCONFIG],[1],[libconfig found at compile time.])
-],
-    [AC_MSG_WARN([libconfig not found, some features will be disabled])])
-AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_LIBCONFIG],[test "x$LIBCONFIG_LIBS" != "x"])
-
-dnl Check for gtk2 library, used by virt-p2v.
-PKG_CHECK_MODULES([GTK2], [gtk+-2.0], [
-    AC_SUBST([GTK2_CFLAGS])
-    AC_SUBST([GTK2_LIBS])
-],
-    [AC_MSG_WARN([gtk2 not found, virt-p2v will be disabled])])
-
-dnl Can we build virt-p2v?
-AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_P2V], [test "x$GTK2_LIBS" != "x"])
+dnl Miscellaneous libraries used by other programs.
+m4_include([m4/guestfs_misc_libraries.m4])
 
 dnl FUSE is optional to build the FUSE module.
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([fuse],
diff --git a/m4/guestfs_misc_libraries.m4 b/m4/guestfs_misc_libraries.m4
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2759d0ddd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/m4/guestfs_misc_libraries.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+# libguestfs
+# Copyright (C) 2009-2015 Red Hat Inc.
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+# Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+
+dnl Miscellaneous libraries used by other programs.
+
+dnl Check if crypt() is provided by a separate library.
+old_LIBS="$LIBS"
+AC_SEARCH_LIBS([crypt],[crypt])
+LIBS="$old_LIBS"
+if test "$ac_cv_search_crypt" = "-lcrypt" ; then
+  LIBCRYPT_LIBS="-lcrypt"
+fi
+AC_SUBST([LIBCRYPT_LIBS])
+
+dnl liblzma can be used by virt-builder (optional).
+PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBLZMA], [liblzma], [
+    AC_SUBST([LIBLZMA_CFLAGS])
+    AC_SUBST([LIBLZMA_LIBS])
+    AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBLZMA],[1],[liblzma found at compile time.])
+
+    dnl Old lzma in RHEL 6 didn't have some APIs we need.
+    old_LIBS="$LIBS"
+    LIBS="$LIBS $LIBLZMA_LIBS"
+    AC_CHECK_FUNCS([lzma_index_stream_flags lzma_index_stream_padding])
+    LIBS="$old_LIBS"
+],
+[AC_MSG_WARN([liblzma not found, virt-builder will be slower])])
+
+dnl Readline (used by guestfish).
+AC_ARG_WITH([readline],[
+    AS_HELP_STRING([--with-readline],
+        [support fancy command line editing @<:@default=check@:>@])],
+    [],
+    [with_readline=check])
+
+LIBREADLINE=
+AS_IF([test "x$with_readline" != xno],[
+    AC_CHECK_LIB([readline], [main],
+        [AC_SUBST([LIBREADLINE], ["-lreadline -lncurses"])
+         AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBREADLINE], [1],
+                   [Define if you have libreadline.])
+        ],
+        [if test "x$with_readline" != xcheck; then
+         AC_MSG_FAILURE(
+             [--with-readline was given, but test for readline failed])
+         fi
+        ], -lncurses)
+    old_LIBS="$LIBS"
+    LIBS="$LIBS $LIBREADLINE"
+    AC_CHECK_FUNCS([append_history completion_matches rl_completion_matches])
+    LIBS="$old_LIBS"
+    ])
+
+dnl libconfig (highly recommended) used by guestfish and others.
+PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBCONFIG], [libconfig],[
+    AC_SUBST([LIBCONFIG_CFLAGS])
+    AC_SUBST([LIBCONFIG_LIBS])
+    AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBCONFIG],[1],[libconfig found at compile time.])
+],
+    [AC_MSG_WARN([libconfig not found, some features will be disabled])])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_LIBCONFIG],[test "x$LIBCONFIG_LIBS" != "x"])
+
+dnl Check for gtk2 library, used by virt-p2v.
+PKG_CHECK_MODULES([GTK2], [gtk+-2.0], [
+    AC_SUBST([GTK2_CFLAGS])
+    AC_SUBST([GTK2_LIBS])
+],
+    [AC_MSG_WARN([gtk2 not found, virt-p2v will be disabled])])
+
+dnl Can we build virt-p2v?
+AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_P2V], [test "x$GTK2_LIBS" != "x"])