diff --git a/cde/configure.ac b/cde/configure.ac
index 9ad898728..dac5d27dd 100644
--- a/cde/configure.ac
+++ b/cde/configure.ac
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ fi
 
 dnl headers
 AC_HEADER_STDC
-AC_CHECK_HEADERS([locale.h security/pam_appl.h])
+AC_CHECK_HEADERS([locale.h security/pam_appl.h utempter.h])
 
 dnl libraries
 AC_CHECK_LIB(m, cosf)
@@ -451,6 +451,13 @@ AC_CHECK_LIB(pam, pam_start,
 
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAS_PAM_LIBRARY], [test "x$ac_cv_lib_pam_pam_start" = "xyes"])
 
+dnl figure out utempter support
+
+AC_CHECK_LIB(utempter, utempter_add_record,
+             [SOURCE_CPP_DEFINES="${SOURCE_CPP_DEFINES} -DHAS_UTEMPTER_LIBRARY"])
+
+AM_CONDITIONAL([HAS_UTEMPTER_LIBRARY], [test "x$ac_cv_lib_utempter_utempter_add_record" = "xyes"])
+
 dnl Figure out TCL
 
 SC_PATH_TCLCONFIG
diff --git a/cde/lib/DtTerm/Makefile.am b/cde/lib/DtTerm/Makefile.am
index 5a5919c39..cc7aa1ca5 100644
--- a/cde/lib/DtTerm/Makefile.am
+++ b/cde/lib/DtTerm/Makefile.am
@@ -21,4 +21,8 @@ if SOLARIS
 libDtTerm_la_LIBADD += -ldl -lgen
 endif
 
+if HAS_UTEMPTER_LIBRARY
+libDtTerm_la_LIBADD += -lutempter
+endif
+
 libDtTerm_la_LDFLAGS = -version-info 2:1:0
diff --git a/cde/lib/DtTerm/TermPrim/Makefile.am b/cde/lib/DtTerm/TermPrim/Makefile.am
index ff78b6c82..75ee28b63 100644
--- a/cde/lib/DtTerm/TermPrim/Makefile.am
+++ b/cde/lib/DtTerm/TermPrim/Makefile.am
@@ -42,9 +42,14 @@ libTermPrim_la_SOURCES += TermPrimGetPty-svr4.c
 AM_CPPFLAGS += -DSUN_ARCHITECTURE
 endif
 
-# uses CSRG_BASED...
+# Use the posix pts api, like linux
 if BSD
-libTermPrim_la_SOURCES += TermPrimGetPty-bsd.c
+libTermPrim_la_SOURCES += TermPrimGetPty-pts.c
+# uses CSRG_BASED global define
+endif
+
+if FREEBSD
+AM_CPPFLAGS += -DFREEBSD_ARCHITECTURE
 endif
 
 if OPENBSD
@@ -52,6 +57,6 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS += -DOPENBSD_ARCHITECTURE
 endif
 
 if LINUX
-libTermPrim_la_SOURCES += TermPrimGetPty-svr4.c
+libTermPrim_la_SOURCES += TermPrimGetPty-pts.c
 AM_CPPFLAGS += -DLINUX_ARCHITECTURE
 endif
diff --git a/cde/programs/dtterm/Makefile.am b/cde/programs/dtterm/Makefile.am
index d497adb34..79ce5bf33 100644
--- a/cde/programs/dtterm/Makefile.am
+++ b/cde/programs/dtterm/Makefile.am
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ if BSD
 dtterm_LDADD += -lutil
 endif
 
+if HAS_UTEMPTER_LIBRARY
+dtterm_LDADD += -lutempter
+endif
+
 dtterm_CFLAGS = -I$(top_builddir)/lib/DtTerm/TermPrim	\
 	-I$(top_builddir)/lib/DtTerm/Term			\
 	-I$(top_builddir)/lib/DtTerm/TermView	\
@@ -45,5 +49,7 @@ dtterm.ti: terminfoChecklist
 
 install-exec-hook:
 	chown root $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/dtterm
+if !HAS_UTEMPTER_LIBRARY
 	chmod 4755 $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/dtterm
+endif