diff --git a/configure b/configure
index a423e4f7..bbef09ad 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -459,6 +459,9 @@ has_or_abort prog=patch var=patch
 has_or_warn  prog=cvs                                                   \
              kconfig=has_cvs                                            \
              err="it will not be possible to use newlib cvs snapshots"
+has_or_abort prog=svn                               \
+             kconfig=has_svn                        \
+             err="subversion is required to download eglibc"
 
 # Host system checks