diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7be155060b..d799b74c9f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -442,26 +442,8 @@ fi
 LIBVIRT_ARG_INIT_SCRIPT
 LIBVIRT_CHECK_INIT_SCRIPT
 
-AC_MSG_CHECKING([for whether to install sysctl config])
-LIBVIRT_ARG_WITH_ALT([SYSCTL], [Whether to install sysctl configs], [check])
-
-if test "$with_sysctl" = "yes" || test "$with_sysctl" = "check"
-then
-  case $host in
-    *-*-linux*)
-      with_sysctl=yes
-      ;;
-    **)
-      if test "$with_sysctl" = "yes"; then
-         AC_MSG_ERROR([No sysctl configuration supported for $host])
-      else
-         with_sysctl=no
-      fi
-      ;;
-  esac
-fi
-AM_CONDITIONAL([WITH_SYSCTL], test "$with_sysctl" = "yes")
-AC_MSG_RESULT($with_sysctl)
+LIBVIRT_ARG_SYSCTL_CONFIG
+LIBVIRT_CHECK_SYSCTL_CONFIG
 
 
 dnl
diff --git a/m4/virt-sysctl.m4 b/m4/virt-sysctl.m4
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..101733cf00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/m4/virt-sysctl.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+dnl sysctl config check
+dnl
+dnl Copyright (C) 2016 Red Hat, Inc.
+dnl
+dnl This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+dnl modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+dnl License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+dnl version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+dnl
+dnl This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+dnl but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+dnl MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+dnl Lesser General Public License for more details.
+dnl
+dnl You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+dnl License along with this library.  If not, see
+dnl <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+dnl
+
+AC_DEFUN([LIBVIRT_ARG_SYSCTL_CONFIG], [
+  LIBVIRT_ARG_WITH_ALT([SYSCTL], [Whether to install sysctl configs], [check])
+])
+
+AC_DEFUN([LIBVIRT_CHECK_SYSCTL_CONFIG], [
+  AC_MSG_CHECKING([for whether to install sysctl config])
+  if test "$with_sysctl" = "yes" || test "$with_sysctl" = "check"
+  then
+    case $host in
+      *-*-linux*)
+        with_sysctl=yes
+        ;;
+      *)
+        if test "$with_sysctl" = "yes"; then
+          AC_MSG_ERROR([No sysctl configuration supported for $host])
+        else
+          with_sysctl=no
+        fi
+        ;;
+    esac
+  fi
+  AM_CONDITIONAL([WITH_SYSCTL], test "$with_sysctl" = "yes")
+  AC_MSG_RESULT($with_sysctl)
+])