diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 513e0522d4..891bc5aa42 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -934,6 +934,23 @@ AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[
  [ AC_MSG_RESULT([no])]
 )
 
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([for default visibility attribute])
+AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_SOURCE([
+  int foo(void) __attribute__((visibility("default")));
+  int main(){}
+  ])],
+  [
+    AC_DEFINE([HAVE_DEFAULT_VISIBILITY_ATTRIBUTE], [1], [Define if the visibility attribute is supported.])
+    AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
+  ],
+  [
+    AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
+    if test "$use_reduce_exports" = "yes"; then
+      AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot find a working visibility attribute. Use --disable-reduce-exports.])
+    fi
+  ]
+)
+
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([for dllexport attribute])
 AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_SOURCE([
   __declspec(dllexport) int foo(void);