diff --git a/config.h.in b/config.h.in
index b6c216c59..19d719fb5 100755
--- a/config.h.in
+++ b/config.h.in
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 
 #include "parms.h"
 
+/* are dynamic arrays supported? */
+#undef HAVE_DYNARRAY
+
 /* are we using gcc */
 #undef HAVE_GCC
 
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index c96a96cb6..018950ad1 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -3712,6 +3712,12 @@ done
 
 
 
+ac_ext=c
+ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
+ac_compile='$CC -c $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
+ac_link='$CC -o conftest$ac_exeext $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS $LDFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext $LIBS >&5'
+ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu
+
 
 
 ac_ext=c
@@ -4186,6 +4192,36 @@ else
   use_gecode=$use_gecode_default
 fi
 
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking if dynamic arrays are supported" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking if dynamic arrays are supported... " >&6; }
+cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+
+  void foo(int n) { int a[n]; a[1]=0; }
+int
+main ()
+{
+foo(3);
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_compile "$LINENO"; then :
+
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: yes" >&5
+$as_echo "yes" >&6; }
+
+$as_echo "#define HAVE_DYNARRAY 1" >>confdefs.h
+
+
+else
+
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: no" >&5
+$as_echo "no" >&6; }
+
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
 
 # Check whether --enable-tabling was given.
 if test "${enable_tabling+set}" = set; then :
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index e26ecaf6d..64858c402 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ AC_PROG_AWK
 AC_SUBST(GCC)
 AC_SUBST(C_INTERF_FLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(C_PARSER_FLAGS)
+AC_LANG(C)
 
 dnl Gecode support
 AC_CHECK_HEADER(gecode/support/config.hpp,
@@ -80,6 +81,15 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(gecode,
 	       AC_MSG_ERROR([cannot enable gecode: python not found])
 	    fi
          fi], use_gecode=$use_gecode_default)
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([if dynamic arrays are supported])
+AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([
+  AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[void foo(int n) { int a[n]; a[1]=0; }]],[[foo(3);]])
+  ],[
+  AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
+  AC_DEFINE([HAVE_DYNARRAY],[1],[Define if dynamic arrays are supported])
+  ],[
+  AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
+  ])
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(tabling,
 	[ --enable-tabling           support tabling ],
diff --git a/library/gecode/Makefile.in b/library/gecode/Makefile.in
index 2c74454e0..0ae3ef8a8 100644
--- a/library/gecode/Makefile.in
+++ b/library/gecode/Makefile.in
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ gecode_yap.o: \
 	gecode_yap_cc_forward_auto_generated.icc \
 	$(srcdir)/disjunctor.icc \
 	$(srcdir)/disjunctor.hh
-	$(CXX) -c -I. $(CXXFLAGS) $(DISJUNCTOR) -o $@ $<
+	$(CXX) -c $(CXXFLAGS) $(DISJUNCTOR) -o $@ $<
 
 @DO_SECOND_LD@gecode_yap.@SO@: gecode_yap.o
 @DO_SECOND_LD@	@SHLIB_LD@ -o gecode_yap.@SO@ gecode_yap.o $(LDFLAGS) -lgecodeint -lgecodeset -lgecodesearch @EXTRA_LIBS_FOR_DLLS@
diff --git a/library/gecode/gecode_yap.cc b/library/gecode/gecode_yap.cc
index e58b48a27..8d4d4f3de 100644
--- a/library/gecode/gecode_yap.cc
+++ b/library/gecode/gecode_yap.cc
@@ -22,6 +22,45 @@ using namespace std;
 using namespace generic_gecode;
 using namespace Gecode;
 
+extern "C"
+{
+#include "config.h"
+}
+
+namespace generic_gecode
+{
+#ifndef HAVE_DYNARRAY
+#error hello
+  template <typename T> struct DynArray
+  {
+    T* _array;
+    DynArray(int n): _array(new T[n]) {}
+    ~DynArray() { delete[] _array; }
+    T& operator[](int i) { return _array[i]; }
+  };
+#define DYNARRAY(T,A,N) DynArray<T> A(N)
+#else
+#define DYNARRAY(T,A,N) T A[N]
+#endif
+
+#ifndef HAVE_DYNARRAY
+  struct SpecArray
+  {
+    int (*_array)[2];
+    SpecArray(int n): _array((int (*)[2]) new int[n*2]) {}
+    ~SpecArray() { delete[] _array; }
+    int& operator()(int i,int j) { return _array[i][j]; }
+  };
+#define SPECARRAY(A,N) SpecArray A(N)
+#define SPECARRAYELEM(A,I,J) A(I,J)
+#define SPECARRAYDEREF(A) A._array
+#else
+#define SPECARRAY(A,N) int A[N][2]
+#define SPECARRAYELEM(A,I,J) A[I][J]
+#define SPECARRAYDEREF(A) A
+#endif
+}
+
 extern "C"
 {
 #include "SWI-Stream.h"
@@ -261,22 +300,6 @@ extern "C"
     return n;
   }
 
-#ifndef HAVE_DYNARRAY
-  struct SpecArray
-  {
-    int* _array;
-    SpecArray(int n): _array(new int[n][2]) {}
-    ~SpecArray() { delete[] _array; }
-    typedef int (*_specarray)[][2];
-    T& operator()(int i,int j) { return ((_specarray)_array)[i][j]; }
-  };
-#define SPECARRAY(A,N) SpecArray A(N)
-#define SPECARRAYELEM(A,I,J) A(I,J)
-#else
-#define SPECARRAY(A,N) int A[N][2]
-#define SPECARRAYELEM(A,I,J) A[I][J]
-#endif
-
   static IntSet
   gecode_IntSet_from_term(YAP_Term specs)
   {
@@ -291,7 +314,7 @@ extern "C"
 	SPECARRAYELEM(r,i,1) = YAP_IntOfTerm(YAP_ArgOfTerm(2, head));
 	i += 1;
       }
-    return IntSet(r, n);
+    return IntSet(SPECARRAYDEREF(r), n);
   }
 
   static int gecode_new_intvar_from_intset(void)
@@ -844,19 +867,6 @@ extern "C"
     return YAP_Unify(result, YAP_MkIntTerm(x.glbMax()));
   }
 
-#ifndef HAVE_DYNARRAY
-  template <typename T> struct DynArray
-  {
-    T* _array;
-    DynArray(int n): _array(new T[n]) {}
-    ~DynArray() { delete[] _array; }
-    T& operator[](int i) { return _array[i]; }
-  };
-#define DYNARRAY(T,A,N) DynArray<T> A(N)
-#else
-#define DYNARRAY(T,A,N) T A[N]
-#endif
-
   static YAP_Functor gecode_COMMA2;
 
   static int gecode_setvar_glb_ranges(void)