diff --git a/parser_native/makefile b/parser_native/makefile
index cb61047a5..e57adc08b 100644
--- a/parser_native/makefile
+++ b/parser_native/makefile
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+include makefile.config
+
 CXX		= g++
 CXXFLAGS	= -O3 -W -Wall
 BOOST_INCLUDES	= /opt/boost/include/boost-1_35
@@ -6,8 +8,8 @@ BOOST_TAG	= -gcc34-mt
 ICU_INCLUDES	= /opt/icu/include
 ICU_LIBS	= /opt/icu/lib
 
-CPPFLAGS	= -I$(BOOST_INCLUDES) -I$(ICU_INCLUDES)
-LDFLAGS		= -L$(BOOST_LIBS) -L$(ICU_LIBS) -R$(ICU_LIBS) -R$(BOOST_LIBS)
+CPPFLAGS	= $(EXTRA_CPPFLAGS)
+LDFLAGS		= $(EXTRA_LDFLAGS)
 
 LIBS		= -lboost_regex$(BOOST_TAG) -licuuc -licui18n -licudata -licui18n
 
diff --git a/parser_native/makefile.config.example b/parser_native/makefile.config.example
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9ab3e5a5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/parser_native/makefile.config.example
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# The C++ compiler
+CXX		= g++
+
+# Flags for the compiler.
+CXXFLAGS	= -O3 -W -Wall
+
+# Set this to the 'tag' your Boost libraries were built with,
+# or the empty string if none.
+#BOOST_TAG	= -gcc34-mt
+BOOST_TAG	=
+
+# Extra linker flags - if libraries are in strange places
+EXTRA_LDFLAGS	= -L/opt/icu/lib -L/opt/boost/lib -R/opt/icu/lib:/opt/boost/lib
+
+# Extra preprocessor flags
+EXTRA_CPPFLAGS	= -I/opt/boost/include/boost-1_35 -I/opt/icu/include