diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 9e9791a16..8515ba7a9 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ fi
 # Further machine-specific hacks
 
 case "$host" in
-  ia64-*-linux*)
+  ia64-*-linux*|alpha*-*-linux*)
     echo "Will use mmap() instead of malloc() for allocation of major heap chunks."
     echo "#define USE_MMAP_INSTEAD_OF_MALLOC" >> s.h;;
 esac