diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 915636abb2..405a894fe0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ win32-in-place:
 # an empty set of link files, so that any installation-wide
 # links or packages are ignored during the core build.
 
+CORE_CONFIGURE_ARGS = 
+
 core:
 	mkdir -p build/config
 	echo '#hash((links-search-files . ()))' > build/config/config.rktd
@@ -58,7 +60,7 @@ win32-core:
 	cmd /c racket\src\worksp\build-at racket\src\worksp ..\..\..\build\config
 
 racket/src/build/Makefile: racket/src/configure racket/src/Makefile.in
-	cd racket/src/build; ../configure
+	cd racket/src/build; ../configure $(CORE_CONFIGURE_ARGS)
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------
 # Configuration options for building installers
diff --git a/pkgs/distro-build/drive-clients.rkt b/pkgs/distro-build/drive-clients.rkt
index f6bd853a0f..e6e45ce07e 100644
--- a/pkgs/distro-build/drive-clients.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/distro-build/drive-clients.rkt
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@
 ;;   #:vbox <string> --- Virtual Box machine name; if provided the
 ;;                       virtual machine is started and stopped as needed
 ;;   #:platform <symbol> --- 'windows or 'unix, defaults to 'unix
+;;   #:configure (<string> ...) --- arguments to `configure'
 ;;   #:bits <integer> --- 32 or 64, affects Visual Studio path
 ;;   #:vc <string*> --- "x86" or "x64" to select the Visual C build mode;
 ;;                     default depends on bits
@@ -142,6 +143,7 @@
     [(#:dir) (string? val)]
     [(#:vbox) (string? val)]
     [(#:platform) (memq val '(unix windows))]
+    [(#:configure) (and (list? val) (andmap string? val))]
     [(#:bits) (or (equal? val 32) (equal? val 64))]
     [(#:vc) (or (equal? val "x86") (equal? val "x64"))]
     [(#:timeout) (real? val)]
@@ -376,7 +378,9 @@
        "git pull")
    (sh "cd " (q dir) " ; "
        "make -j " j " client"
-       (client-args server pkgs dist-name dist-dir))))
+       (client-args server pkgs dist-name dist-dir)
+       " CORE_CONFIGURE_ARGS=" (q (apply ~a #:separator " "
+                                         (get-opt c '#:configure null))))))
 
 (define (windows-build c host port user server repo clean?
                        pkgs dist-name dist-dir)