---
 lisp/textmodes/flyspell.el |   11 ++++++++---
 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

--- lisp/textmodes/flyspell.el
+++ lisp/textmodes/flyspell.el	2016-09-19 09:22:48.535025631 +0000
@@ -319,6 +319,12 @@ If this variable is nil, all regions are
   :type 'key-sequence
   :group 'flyspell)
 
+(defvar flyspell-signature-separator
+  (if (boundp 'message-signature-separator)
+	message-signature-separator
+     "^-- $")
+  "*String used to recognize .signatures.")
+
 ;;*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 ;;*    Mode specific options                                            */
 ;;*    -------------------------------------------------------------    */
@@ -344,7 +350,6 @@ property of the major mode name.")
 ;;*--- mail mode -------------------------------------------------------*/
 (put 'mail-mode 'flyspell-mode-predicate 'mail-mode-flyspell-verify)
 (put 'message-mode 'flyspell-mode-predicate 'mail-mode-flyspell-verify)
-(defvar message-signature-separator)
 (defun mail-mode-flyspell-verify ()
   "Function used for `flyspell-generic-check-word-predicate' in Mail mode."
   (let* ((header-end (save-excursion
@@ -356,11 +361,11 @@ property of the major mode name.")
                         nil t)
                        (point)))
          (signature-begin
-          (if (not (boundp 'message-signature-separator))
+          (if (not (boundp 'flyspell-signature-separator))
               (point-max)
             (save-excursion
               (goto-char (point-max))
-              (re-search-backward message-signature-separator
+              (re-search-backward flyspell-signature-separator
                                   (max header-end (- (point) 4000)) t)
               (point)))))
     (cond ((< (point) header-end)
