diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fd40fc056..08c19522a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -144,6 +144,11 @@ To install on the local system run `make install`. By default `make install` ins
     - default: *no*
     - possible values:
       - unwind-ptrace: use unwind-ptrace to get the backtraces
+  * `--enable-demangling`:
+    enable the demangling support for the backtraces
+    - default: *no*
+    - possible values:
+      - libiberty: use the libierty to demangle the name
 
 
 ## Runtime dependencies:
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index e76f7d94a..93461528d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -590,6 +590,60 @@ if test "x$enable_backtrace" = xunwind-ptrace; then
    )
 fi
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([demangling],
+              [AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-demangling],
+                              [enable demangling support for backtraces @<:@default=check@:>@])],
+              [],
+              [enable_demangling=no])
+have_libiberty=no
+case $enable_demangling in
+   check|yes|libiberty)
+      AC_CHECK_LIB([iberty], [cplus_demangle], [
+         have_libiberty=yes
+         AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBIBERTY], [1], [Define to 1 if libiberty is found.])
+         LIBS="$LIBS -liberty"
+         ], [
+         if test "x$enable_demangling" = xlibiberty; then
+            AC_MSG_ERROR([--enable-demangling specified but libiberty not found])
+         fi
+      ])
+
+      if test "x$have_libiberty" = xyes; then
+         AC_CHECK_HEADERS([demangle.h], [], [
+            CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I/usr/include/libiberty"
+            AC_CHECK_HEADERS([libiberty/demangle.h], [], [
+               have_libiberty=no
+               if test "x$enable_demangling" = xlibiberty; then
+                  AC_MSG_ERROR([--enable-demangling specified but <demangle.h> not found])
+               fi
+            ])
+         ])
+      fi
+
+      if test "x$have_libiberty" = xyes; then
+         enable_demangling=libiberty
+      fi
+      ;;
+esac
+
+
+case $enable_demangling in
+   libiberty)
+      AC_DEFINE([HAVE_DEMANGLING], [1], [Define to 1 if the demangling is supported.])
+      ;;
+   check)
+      enable_demangling=no
+      ;;
+   yes)
+      AC_MSG_ERROR([cannot find any library for the backend supported by --enable-demangling])
+      ;;
+   no)
+      ;;
+   *)
+      AC_MSG_ERROR([bad value '$enable_demangling' for --enable-demangling])
+      ;;
+esac
+
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([hwloc],
               [AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-hwloc],
               [enable hwloc support for CPU affinity; disables affinity support; requires libhwloc @<:@default=no@:>@])],
@@ -911,6 +965,7 @@ AC_MSG_RESULT([
   affinity:                  $enable_affinity
   unwind:                    $enable_unwind
   backtrace:                 $enable_backtrace
+  demangling:                $enable_demangling
   hwloc:                     $enable_hwloc
   debug:                     $enable_debug
   static:                    $enable_static