diff --git a/build/glib-test.supp b/build/glib-test.supp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..90ab4df8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/glib-test.supp
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+{
+   glibc-tls-allocation
+   Memcheck:Leak
+   fun:calloc
+   fun:_dl_allocate_tls
+   fun:pthread_create@@GLIBC_2.2.5
+   ...
+}
+
+{
+   pthread-exit
+   Memcheck:Leak
+   ...
+   fun:pthread_exit
+   ...
+}
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index a2839dfd8..3068caa64 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ cflags_set=${CFLAGS+set}
 
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.11 -Wno-portability no-define no-dist-gzip dist-xz tar-ustar])
 AM_MAINTAINER_MODE([enable])
+AM_EXTRA_RECURSIVE_TARGETS([memcheck])
 
 # Support silent build rules. Disable
 # by either passing --disable-silent-rules to configure or passing V=1
diff --git a/glib-tap.mk b/glib-tap.mk
index 6b9d107c0..1722f3c51 100644
--- a/glib-tap.mk
+++ b/glib-tap.mk
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 # GLIB - Library of useful C routines
 
-TESTS_ENVIRONMENT= \
+AM_TESTS_ENVIRONMENT= \
 	G_TEST_SRCDIR="$(abs_srcdir)" 		\
 	G_TEST_BUILDDIR="$(abs_builddir)" 	\
-	G_DEBUG=gc-friendly 			\
+	G_DEBUG="gc-friendly cleanup"		\
 	MALLOC_CHECK_=2 			\
 	MALLOC_PERTURB_=$$(($${RANDOM:-256} % 256))
 TEST_LOG_DRIVER = env AM_TAP_AWK='$(AWK)' $(SHELL) $(top_srcdir)/tap-driver.sh
@@ -132,3 +132,17 @@ installed_test_meta_DATA = $(installed_testcases:=.test)
 
 CLEANFILES += $(installed_test_meta_DATA)
 endif
+
+VALGRIND_ARGS = \
+	--leak-check=full \
+	--show-leak-kinds=all \
+	--child-silent-after-fork=yes \
+	--suppressions=$(abs_top_srcdir)/build/glib-test.supp \
+	--num-callers=18 \
+	$(NULL)
+
+memcheck-local: $(all_test_programs)
+	$(MAKE) check-am TESTS="$(all_test_programs)" \
+		TESTS_ENVIRONMENT="G_DEBUG='gc-friendly cleanup'" \
+		LOG_COMPILER="libtool --mode=execute valgrind $(VALGRIND_ARGS) --quiet --log-fd=7" \
+		AM_TESTS_FD_REDIRECT="7>&2"
diff --git a/glib.mk b/glib.mk
index de87d58a1..90ccc57fc 100644
--- a/glib.mk
+++ b/glib.mk
@@ -168,3 +168,16 @@ installed_test_meta_DATA = $(installed_testcases:=.test)
 
 CLEANFILES += $(installed_test_meta_DATA)
 endif
+
+VALGRIND_ARGS = \
+	--leak-check=full \
+	--show-leak-kinds=all \
+	--child-silent-after-fork=yes \
+	--suppressions=$(abs_top_srcdir)/build/glib-test.supp \
+	$(NULL)
+
+memcheck-local: $(all_test_programs)
+	$(MAKE) check-am TESTS="$(all_test_programs)" \
+		TESTS_ENVIRONMENT="G_DEBUG='gc-friendly cleanup'" \
+		LOG_COMPILER="libtool --mode=execute valgrind $(VALGRIND_ARGS) --quiet --log-fd=7" \
+		AM_TESTS_FD_REDIRECT="7>&2"