diff --git a/configure b/configure
index df7e9712ed2..14b4caa4fd6 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -813,6 +813,7 @@ with_xshape
 with_xshm
 with_xslt
 with_xxf86vm
+with_zlib
 with_wine_tools
 with_wine64
 enable_largefile
@@ -1503,6 +1504,7 @@ Optional Packages:
   --without-xshm          do not use XShm (shared memory extension)
   --without-xslt          do not use XSLT
   --without-xxf86vm       do not use XFree video mode extension
+  --without-zlib          do not use Zlib (data compression)
   --with-wine-tools=DIR   use Wine tools from directory DIR
   --with-wine64=DIR       use the 64-bit Wine in DIR for a Wow64 build
   --with-x                use the X Window System
@@ -2762,6 +2764,12 @@ if test "${with_xxf86vm+set}" = set; then :
 fi
 
 
+# Check whether --with-zlib was given.
+if test "${with_zlib+set}" = set; then :
+  withval=$with_zlib; if test "x$withval" = "xno"; then ac_cv_header_zlib_h=no; fi
+fi
+
+
 
 # Check whether --with-wine-tools was given.
 if test "${with_wine_tools+set}" = set; then :
@@ -10613,6 +10621,14 @@ $as_echo "#define HAVE_ZLIB 1" >>confdefs.h
 
 fi
 
+fi
+if test "x$ZLIB" = "x"; then :
+  case "x$with_zlib" in
+  x)   as_fn_append wine_notices "|libz ${notice_platform}development files not found, data compression won't be supported." ;;
+  xno) ;;
+  *)   as_fn_error $? "libz ${notice_platform}development files not found, data compression won't be supported.
+This is an error since --with-zlib was requested." "$LINENO" 5  ;;
+esac
 fi
 
 if test "x$enable_tools" != xno
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index fa2a6c009d2..979b1cd6f40 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(xshm,      AS_HELP_STRING([--without-xshm],[do not use XShm (shared
 AC_ARG_WITH(xslt,      AS_HELP_STRING([--without-xslt],[do not use XSLT]))
 AC_ARG_WITH(xxf86vm,   AS_HELP_STRING([--without-xxf86vm],[do not use XFree video mode extension]),
             [if test "x$withval" = "xno"; then ac_cv_header_X11_extensions_xf86vmode_h=no; ac_cv_header_X11_extensions_xf86vmproto_h=no; fi])
+AC_ARG_WITH(zlib,      AS_HELP_STRING([--without-zlib],[do not use Zlib (data compression)]),
+            [if test "x$withval" = "xno"; then ac_cv_header_zlib_h=no; fi])
 
 AC_ARG_WITH(wine-tools,AS_HELP_STRING([--with-wine-tools=DIR],[use Wine tools from directory DIR]))
 AC_ARG_WITH(wine64,    AS_HELP_STRING([--with-wine64=DIR],[use the 64-bit Wine in DIR for a Wow64 build]))
@@ -1426,6 +1428,7 @@ then
     AC_CHECK_LIB(z,inflate,[AC_DEFINE(HAVE_ZLIB,1,[Define to 1 if you have the `z' library (-lz).])
                             AC_SUBST(ZLIB,"-lz")])
 fi
+WINE_NOTICE_WITH(zlib,[test "x$ZLIB" = "x"],[libz ${notice_platform}development files not found, data compression won't be supported.])
 
 dnl **** Check for gettextpo ****
 if test "x$enable_tools" != xno