diff --git a/SCons/utils.py b/SCons/utils.py
index 926d3fe4..302f9594 100644
--- a/SCons/utils.py
+++ b/SCons/utils.py
@@ -10,4 +10,58 @@ def AddAvailableLibs(env, libs):
 
 	conf.Finish()
 
-Export('AddAvailableLibs')
+"""
+Checks if a compiler flag is valid.
+"""
+def check_compile_flag(ctx, flag):
+	ctx.Message('Checking for compiler flag %s... ' % flag)
+
+	old_flags = ctx.env['CCFLAGS']
+	ctx.env.Append(CCFLAGS = flag)
+
+	test = """
+		int __main() {
+			return 0;
+		}
+	"""
+
+	result = not ctx.TryCompile(test, '.c')
+	ctx.Result(result)
+
+	if not result:
+		ctx.env.Replace(CCFLAGS = old_flags)
+
+	return result
+
+"""
+Checks if a linker flag is valid.
+"""
+def check_link_flag(ctx, flag):
+	ctx.Message('Checking for linker flag %s... ' % flag)
+
+	old_flags = ctx.env['LINKFLAGS']
+	ctx.env.Append(LINKFLAGS = flag)
+
+	test = """
+		int __main() {
+			return 0;
+		}
+	"""
+
+	result = not ctx.TryLink(test, '.c')
+	ctx.Result(result)
+
+	if not result:
+		ctx.env.Replace(LINKFLAGS = old_flags)
+
+	return result
+
+"""
+Wrapper for env.Configure which adds two new tests:
+  CheckCompileFlag - checks for a compiler flag
+	CheckLinkFlag    - checks for a linker flag
+"""
+def FlagsConfigure(env):
+	return env.Configure(custom_tests = { 'CheckCompileFlag' : check_compile_flag, 'CheckLinkFlag': check_link_flag })
+
+Export('AddAvailableLibs FlagsConfigure')