diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 73f74824..de1f02bd 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2013-08-13  Nicolas François  <nicolas.francois@centraliens.net>
+
+	* configure.in: Check if sizeof uid_t and gid_t is larger than 32
+	bit to support subordinate IDs.
+
 2013-08-13  Nicolas François  <nicolas.francois@centraliens.net>
 
 	* lib/subordinateio.c: Avoid dead branches.
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index d11a3649..1a3f8418 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(subordinate-ids,
 	[AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-subordinate-ids],
 		[support subordinate ids @<:@default=yes@:>@])],
 	[enable_subids="${enableval}"],
-	[enable_subids="yes"]
+	[enable_subids="maybe"]
 )
 
 AC_ARG_WITH(audit, 
@@ -331,12 +331,28 @@ if test "$enable_man" = "yes"; then
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_REGENERATE_MAN, test "x$enable_man" != "xno")
 
-if test "$enable_subids" = "yes"; then
+if test "$enable_subids" != "no"; then
 	dnl
 	dnl FIXME: check if 32 bit UIDs/GIDs are supported by libc
 	dnl
-	AC_DEFINE(ENABLE_SUBIDS, 1, [Define to support the subordinate IDs.])
-	enable_subids="yes"
+	AC_RUN_IFELSE([AC_LANG_SOURCE([
+#include <sys/types.h>
+int main(void) {
+	uid_t u;
+	gid_t g;
+	return (sizeof u < 4) || (sizeof g < 4);
+}
+	])], [id32bit="yes"], [id32bit="no"])
+
+	if test "x$id32bit" = "xyes"; then
+		AC_DEFINE(ENABLE_SUBIDS, 1, [Define to support the subordinate IDs.])
+		enable_subids="yes"
+	else
+		if test "x$enable_subids" = "xyes"; then
+			AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot enable support the subordinate IDs on systems where gid_t or uid_t has less than 32 bits])
+		fi
+		enable_subids="no"
+	fi
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_SUBIDS, test "x$enable_subids" != "xno")