diff --git a/data/configure.conf b/data/configure.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf42ad2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/configure.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+[programs]
+ccshared=$(CC) -shared
+cxx=c++
+ln=ln -f
+mkdir=mkdir -m 0755 -p
+rm=rm -f
diff --git a/data/project.conf b/data/project.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c91e54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/project.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+dist=Makefile,configure.conf
+
+[configure.conf]
+install=$(PREFIX)/share/configure
diff --git a/project.conf b/project.conf
index 77fbc38..f745c62 100644
--- a/project.conf
+++ b/project.conf
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ package=configure
 version=0.2.3
 config=h,sh
 
-subdirs=doc,src,tests,tools
+subdirs=data,doc,src,tests,tools
 dist=Makefile,AUTHORS,BUGS,CHANGES,COPYING,config.h,config.sh,INSTALL.md,README.md
 
 [AUTHORS]
diff --git a/src/configure.c b/src/configure.c
index 2cf81cb..51b49af 100644
--- a/src/configure.c
+++ b/src/configure.c
@@ -45,6 +45,13 @@
 # define PROGNAME PACKAGE
 #endif
 
+#ifndef PREFIX
+# define PREFIX		"/usr/local"
+#endif
+#ifndef DATADIR
+# define DATADIR	PREFIX "/share"
+#endif
+
 
 /* Configure */
 /* private */
@@ -323,6 +330,7 @@ static int _configure_detect_programs(Configure * configure)
 {
 	int ret = 0;
 	String const section[] = "programs";
+	String const filename[] = DATADIR "/" PACKAGE "/" PACKAGE ".conf";
 	struct
 	{
 		String const * name;
@@ -343,6 +351,9 @@ static int _configure_detect_programs(Configure * configure)
 		if(config_set(configure->programs, section, programs[i].name,
 					programs[i].program) != 0)
 			return -1;
+	if(config_load(configure->programs, filename) != 0)
+		configure_error(DATADIR "/" PACKAGE "/" PACKAGE ".conf: "
+				"Could not load program definitions", 0);
 	/* platform-specific */
 	switch(configure->os)
 	{