diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 6d0030c47..4daccc014 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ AC_HEADER_STDC
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([fcntl.h stdlib.h string.h unistd.h])
 
 AC_CHECK_PROG(HAVE_LAUNCHD, [launchd], [yes], [])
+if test "x$HAVE_LAUNCHD" = xyes; then
+	AC_DEFINE(HAS_LAUNCHD, 1, [launchd support available])
+fi
 
 dnl Checks for typedefs, structures, and compiler characteristics.
 AC_C_CONST
@@ -1656,7 +1659,7 @@ if test "x$XDARWIN" = xyes; then
 	       AC_SUBST([DARWIN_LIBS])
                AC_CHECK_LIB([Xplugin],[xp_init],[:])
                AC_SUBST([APPLE_APPLICATIONS_DIR])
-               CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -D__DARWIN__ -DDARWIN_WITH_QUARTZ -DROOTLESS_WORKAROUND"
+               CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -DHAVE_LAUNCHD -D__DARWIN__ -DDARWIN_WITH_QUARTZ -DROOTLESS_WORKAROUND"
                PLIST_VERSION_STRING=$PACKAGE_VERSION
                AC_SUBST([PLIST_VERSION_STRING])
                PLIST_VENDOR_WEB=$VENDOR_WEB
diff --git a/include/dix-config.h.in b/include/dix-config.h.in
index 5efd356b1..6badccab7 100644
--- a/include/dix-config.h.in
+++ b/include/dix-config.h.in
@@ -127,6 +127,9 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <inttypes.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_INTTYPES_H
 
+/* Define to 1 if launchd is available. */
+#undef HAVE_LAUNCHD
+
 /* Define to 1 if you have the `m' library (-lm). */
 #undef HAVE_LIBM