diff --git a/conf.d/Makefile.am b/conf.d/Makefile.am
index 4c11a9c..ac68cd1 100644
--- a/conf.d/Makefile.am
+++ b/conf.d/Makefile.am
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ DOC_SOURCES = README.in
 DOC_FILES = $(DOC_SOURCES:.in=)
 
 CONF_LINKS = \
-	10-hinting-slight.conf	\
+	10-hinting-$(PREFERRED_HINTING).conf	\
 	10-scale-bitmap-fonts.conf \
 	20-unhint-small-vera.conf \
 	30-urw-aliases.conf \
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f8dadf1..a04695b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -405,6 +405,25 @@ if test "$enable_libxml2" = "yes"; then
     CFLAGS="$fc_saved_CFLAGS"
 fi
 
+#
+# Set default hinting
+#
+
+AC_ARG_WITH(default-hinting,
+	[AC_HELP_STRING([--with-default-hinting=NAME],
+			[Enable your preferred hinting configuration (none/slight/medium/full) [default=slight]])],
+	preferred_hinting="$withval", preferred_hinting=slight)
+
+case "$preferred_hinting" in
+none|slight|medium|full)
+	PREFERRED_HINTING="$preferred_hinting"
+	AC_SUBST(PREFERRED_HINTING)
+	;;
+*)
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([Invalid hinting. please choose one of none, slight, medium, or full])
+	;;
+esac
+
 #
 # Set default font directory
 #