--- m4/ax_boost_base.m4
+++ m4/ax_boost_base.m4
@@ -35,6 +35,47 @@
 #   permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright notice
 #   and this notice are preserved.
 
+AC_DEFUN([AX_BOOST_CHECK_LIB64],
+[
+    AC_ARG_ENABLE(libsuffix,
+		  AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-libsuffix],
+		  		 [/lib directory suffix (64,32,none,auto[=default])]),
+		  		 boostlibsuff=$enableval, boostlibsuff="auto")
+
+
+    if test "$boostlibsuff" = "auto"; then
+	cat > conftest.c << EOF
+#include <stdio.h>
+int main(int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+    return 0;
+}
+EOF
+
+	boostlibsuff=`$CC conftest.c -o conftest.out; ldd conftest.out |sed -ne '/libc.so/{
+	s,.*/lib\([[^\/]]*\)/.*,\1,
+	p
+}'`
+	rm -rf conftest.*
+	fi
+                                                                 
+	if test "$boostlibsuff" = "no" || test "$boostlibsuff" = "none"; then
+		boostlibsuff=
+	fi
+	if test -z "$boostlibsuff"; then
+		AC_MSG_RESULT([not using lib directory suffix])
+		AC_DEFINE(BOOSTLIBSUFF, [""], Suffix for lib directories)
+	else
+		if test "$libdir" = '${exec_prefix}/lib'; then
+			libdir="$libdir${boostlibsuff}"
+			AC_SUBST([libdir], ["$libdir"])  dnl ugly hack for lib64 platforms
+		fi
+		AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(BOOSTLIBSUFF, ["${boostlibsuff}"], Suffix for lib directories)
+		AC_MSG_RESULT([using lib directory suffix $boostlibsuff])
+	fi
+])
+                                                                                                                                                                    
+                                                                                                                                                                    
 AC_DEFUN([AX_BOOST_BASE],
 [
 AC_ARG_WITH([boost],
@@ -77,6 +118,7 @@
 		boost_lib_version_req_sub_minor="0"
     	fi
 	WANT_BOOST_VERSION=`expr $boost_lib_version_req_major \* 100000 \+  $boost_lib_version_req_minor \* 100 \+ $boost_lib_version_req_sub_minor`
+    AX_BOOST_CHECK_LIB64
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING(for boostlib >= $boost_lib_version_req)
 	succeeded=no
 
@@ -84,12 +126,12 @@
 	dnl this location ist chosen if boost libraries are installed with the --layout=system option
 	dnl or if you install boost with RPM
 	if test "$ac_boost_path" != ""; then
-		BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$ac_boost_path/lib"
+		BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$ac_boost_path/lib${boostlibsuff}"
 		BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$ac_boost_path/include"
 	else
 		for ac_boost_path_tmp in /usr /usr/local /opt /opt/local ; do
 			if test -d "$ac_boost_path_tmp/include/boost" && test -r "$ac_boost_path_tmp/include/boost"; then
-				BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$ac_boost_path_tmp/lib"
+				BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$ac_boost_path_tmp/lib${boostlibsuff}"
 				BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$ac_boost_path_tmp/include"
 				break;
 			fi
@@ -99,7 +141,7 @@
     dnl overwrite ld flags if we have required special directory with
     dnl --with-boost-libdir parameter
     if test "$ac_boost_lib_path" != ""; then
-       BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$ac_boost_lib_path"
+       BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$ac_boost_lib_path${boostlibsuff}"
     fi
 
 	CPPFLAGS_SAVED="$CPPFLAGS"
@@ -163,7 +205,7 @@
 			BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$best_path/include/boost-$VERSION_UNDERSCORE"
             if test "$ac_boost_lib_path" = ""
             then
-               BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$best_path/lib"
+               BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$best_path/lib${boostlibsuff}"
             fi
 
 	    		if test "x$BOOST_ROOT" != "x"; then