diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 9cedcea46..d523a0505 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -26,17 +26,28 @@ if test "$ZM_DB_PASS" == ""; then
 	AC_SUBST(ZM_DB_PASS,[zmpass])
 fi
 
+LIB_ARCH=lib
+AC_ARG_WITH(libarch,
+    [  --with-libarch=<lib>       architecture library path to use, default lib],
+    [LIB_ARCH=$with_libarch],
+    AC_MSG_WARN([You can call configure with the --with-libarch option.
+    This tells configure where to find architecture specific libraries.
+    The default of 'lib' is usually ok but 64 bit machines may require lib64.
+    e.g. --with-libarch=lib or --with-libarch=lib64])
+)
+AC_SUBST(LIB_ARCH)
+
 MYSQL_PREFIX=/usr
 AC_ARG_WITH(mysql,
     [  --with-mysql=<path>        prefix of MySQL installation, default /usr],
     [MYSQL_PREFIX=$with_mysql],
     AC_MSG_WARN([You can call configure with the --with-mysql option.
     This tells configure where to find the MySql C library and headers if configure cannot
-    locate them automatically..
+    locate them automatically.
     e.g. --with-mysql=/usr/local or --with-mysql=/usr])
 )
 AC_SUBST(MYSQL_PREFIX)
-MYSQL_LIBS="-L${MYSQL_PREFIX}/lib/mysql"
+MYSQL_LIBS="-L${MYSQL_PREFIX}/${LIB_ARCH}/mysql"
 MYSQL_CFLAGS="-I${MYSQL_PREFIX}/include"
 AC_SUBST(MYSQL_LIBS)
 AC_SUBST(MYSQL_CFLAGS)
@@ -57,7 +68,7 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(ffmpeg,
     e.g. --with-ffmpeg=/usr/local])
 )
 AC_SUBST(FFMPEG_PREFIX)
-FFMPEG_LIBS="-L${FFMPEG_PREFIX}/lib"
+FFMPEG_LIBS="-L${FFMPEG_PREFIX}/${LIB_ARCH}"
 FFMPEG_CFLAGS="-I${FFMPEG_PREFIX}/include"
 AC_SUBST(FFMPEG_LIBS)
 AC_SUBST(FFMPEG_CFLAGS)