diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index a32ef8ea..565cbe90 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
  * autogen.sh, configure.ac:
    Modernize configure.ac a bit.
  * configure.ac, m4/geany-revision.m4, m4/geany-binreloc.m4,
-   m4/geany-gnu-regex.m4, m4/geany-plugins.m4, m4/geany-i18n.m4:
+   m4/geany-gnu-regex.m4, m4/geany-plugins.m4, m4/geany-i18n.m4,
+   m4/geany-mingw.m4, m4/geany-socket.m4, m4/geany-vte.m4:
    Extract some configure logic to separate files for better
    readability.
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index a13d7e5c..9c851007 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -80,56 +80,13 @@ GEANY_CHECK_GNU_REGEX
 
 
 # check for mingw specific settings
-case "${host}" in
-	*mingw*)
-		AC_CHECK_LIB([iberty], [fnmatch], [],
-				[AC_MSG_ERROR([fnmatch does not present in libiberty. You need to update it, read http://www.geany.org/Support/CrossCompile for details.])])
-		AC_DEFINE([WIN32], [1], [we are cross compiling for WIN32])
-		AC_DEFINE([HAVE_SOCKET], [1], [Define if you want to detect a running instance])
-		AM_CONDITIONAL([MINGW], true)
-		want_vte="no"
-		want_socket="yes"
-		;;
-	*)
-		AM_CONDITIONAL([MINGW], false)
-		;;
-esac
+GEANY_CHECK_MINGW
 
 
-# skip check if already decided
-if test "x$want_socket" = "x"; then
-	# socket support
-	AC_ARG_ENABLE([socket],
-			[AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-socket],
-					[enable if you want to detect a running instance [default=yes]])],
-			[want_socket="$enableval"],
-			[want_socket="yes"])
-
-	if test "x$want_socket" = "xyes"; then
-		AC_DEFINE([HAVE_SOCKET], [1], [Define if you want to detect a running instance])
-		# this should bring in libsocket on Solaris:
-		AC_SEARCH_LIBS([connect],[socket])
-	fi
-fi
+GEANY_CHECK_SOCKET
 
 
-# skip check if already decided
-if test "x$want_vte" = "x"; then
-	# VTE support
-	AC_ARG_ENABLE([vte],
-			[AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-vte],
-					[enable if you want virtual terminal support [default=yes]])],
-			[want_vte="$enableval"],
-			[want_vte="yes"])
-	if test "x$want_vte" = "xyes"; then
-		AC_DEFINE([HAVE_VTE], [1], [Define if you want VTE support])
-	fi
-	AC_ARG_WITH([vte-module-path],
-			[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-vte-module-path=PATH],
-					[Path to a loadable libvte [default=None]])],
-			[AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([VTE_MODULE_PATH],
-					["$withval"], [Path to a loadable libvte])])
-fi
+GEANY_CHECK_VTE
 
 
 # just for a laugh (it has absolutely no effect)
@@ -201,8 +158,8 @@ if test -n "${build}" -a -n "${target}"; then
 fi
 echo "Using GTK version                  : ${GTK_VERSION}"
 echo "Build with plugin support          : ${geany_enable_plugins}"
-echo "Use virtual terminal support       : ${want_vte}"
-echo "Use (UNIX domain) socket support   : ${want_socket}"
+echo "Use virtual terminal support       : ${geany_enable_vte}"
+echo "Use (UNIX domain) socket support   : ${geany_enable_socket}"
 if test "x$enable_gnu_regex" = "xyes" ; then
 	echo "GNU regex library                  : built-in"
 else
diff --git a/m4/geany-mingw.m4 b/m4/geany-mingw.m4
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0fa8e441
--- /dev/null
+++ b/m4/geany-mingw.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+dnl GEANY_CHECK_MINGW
+dnl Checks whether we're building for MinGW, and defines appropriate stuff
+dnl if it is the case.
+dnl Most importantly, AM_CODITIONALs MINGW
+AC_DEFUN([GEANY_CHECK_MINGW],
+[
+	case "${host}" in
+		*mingw*)
+			AC_CHECK_LIB([iberty], [fnmatch], [],
+					[AC_MSG_ERROR([fnmatch does not present in libiberty. You need to update it, read http://www.geany.org/Support/CrossCompile for details.])])
+			AC_DEFINE([WIN32], [1], [we are cross compiling for WIN32])
+			GEANY_CHECK_VTE([no])
+			GEANY_CHECK_SOCKET([yes])
+			AM_CONDITIONAL([MINGW], true)
+			;;
+		*)
+			AM_CONDITIONAL([MINGW], false)
+			;;
+	esac
+])
diff --git a/m4/geany-socket.m4 b/m4/geany-socket.m4
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9b34c049
--- /dev/null
+++ b/m4/geany-socket.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+dnl _GEANY_CHECK_SOCKET_PREREQ
+AC_DEFUN([_GEANY_CHECK_SOCKET_PREREQ],
+[
+	AC_ARG_ENABLE([socket],
+			[AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-socket],
+					[enable if you want to detect a running instance [default=yes]])],
+			[geany_enable_socket="$enableval"],
+			[geany_enable_socket="auto"])
+])
+
+dnl GEANY_CHECK_SOCKET([enable])
+AC_DEFUN([GEANY_CHECK_SOCKET],
+[
+	AC_REQUIRE([_GEANY_CHECK_SOCKET_PREREQ])
+
+	dnl this way of calling once is a bit ugly, but we need to be able to
+	dnl call this from one or more locations, the first one maybe in a shell
+	dnl conditional.
+	if test "x$_geany_enable_socket_done" = x; then
+		dnl This one gives precedence for user choice
+		dnl if test "x$geany_enable_socket" = xauto; then
+		dnl 	if test -n "$1"; then
+		dnl 		geany_enable_socket="$1"
+		dnl 	else
+		dnl 		geany_enable_socket=yes
+		dnl 	fi
+		dnl fi
+		if test -n "$1"; then
+			geany_enable_socket="$1"
+		elif test "x$geany_enable_socket" = xauto; then
+			geany_enable_socket=yes
+		fi
+
+		if test "x$geany_enable_socket" = xyes; then
+			AC_DEFINE([HAVE_SOCKET], [1], [Define if you want to detect a running instance])
+			# this should bring in libsocket on Solaris:
+			AC_SEARCH_LIBS([connect],[socket])
+		fi
+
+		_geany_enable_socket_done=yes
+	fi
+])
diff --git a/m4/geany-vte.m4 b/m4/geany-vte.m4
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2783bcff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/m4/geany-vte.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+dnl _GEANY_CHECK_VTE_PREREQ
+AC_DEFUN([_GEANY_CHECK_VTE_PREREQ],
+[
+	AC_ARG_ENABLE([vte],
+			[AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-vte],
+					[enable if you want virtual terminal support [default=yes]])],
+			[geany_enable_vte="$enableval"],
+			[geany_enable_vte="yes"])
+	AC_ARG_WITH([vte-module-path],
+			[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-vte-module-path=PATH],
+					[Path to a loadable libvte [default=None]])],
+			[AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([VTE_MODULE_PATH],
+					["$withval"], [Path to a loadable libvte])])
+])
+
+dnl GEANY_CHECK_VTE([enable])
+AC_DEFUN([GEANY_CHECK_VTE],
+[
+	AC_REQUIRE([_GEANY_CHECK_VTE_PREREQ])
+
+	dnl this way of calling once is a bit ugly, but we need to be able to
+	dnl call this from one or more locations, the first one maybe in a shell
+	dnl conditional.
+	dnl see geany-socket.m4
+	if test "x$_geany_enable_vte_done" = x; then
+		dnl This one gives precedence for user choice
+		dnl if test "x$geany_enable_vte" = xauto; then
+		dnl 	if test -n "$1"; then
+		dnl 		geany_enable_vte="$1"
+		dnl 	else
+		dnl 		geany_enable_vte=yes
+		dnl 	fi
+		dnl fi
+		if test -n "$1"; then
+			geany_enable_vte="$1"
+		elif test "x$geany_enable_vte" = xauto; then
+			geany_enable_vte=yes
+		fi
+
+		if test "x$geany_enable_vte" = xyes; then
+			AC_DEFINE([HAVE_VTE], [1], [Define if you want VTE support])
+		fi
+
+		_geany_enable_vte_done=yes
+	fi
+])