diff --git a/scripts/ax_init_standard_project.m4 b/scripts/ax_init_standard_project.m4
index ad245dc..e063051 100644
--- a/scripts/ax_init_standard_project.m4
+++ b/scripts/ax_init_standard_project.m4
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@ AC_DEFUN([AX_INIT_STANDARD_PROJECT], [
   AX_SUBST(PREFIX)
   SYSCONFDIR=$(test "$prefix" = NONE && prefix=$ac_default_prefix; eval echo "${sysconfdir}")
   AX_SUBST(SYSCONFDIR)
+  PKGSYSCONFDIR=$(test "$prefix" = NONE && prefix=$ac_default_prefix; eval echo "${SYSCONFDIR}/${PACKAGE_NAME}")
+  AX_SUBST(PKGSYSCONFDIR)
   DATADIR=$(test "$prefix" = NONE && prefix=$ac_default_prefix; eval echo "${datadir}")
   AX_SUBST(DATADIR)
   PKGDATADIR=$(test "$prefix" = NONE && prefix=$ac_default_prefix; eval echo "${DATADIR}/${PACKAGE_NAME}")
@@ -571,6 +573,11 @@ distclean-rpm-targets:
 EOF
 ])
 
+# use this in configure.ac to support scripts, e.g. bash scripts
+AC_DEFUN([AX_USE_ETC], [
+  AC_CONFIG_FILES([etc/makefile])
+])
+
 # use this in configure.ac to support scripts, e.g. bash scripts
 AC_DEFUN([AX_USE_SCRIPTS], [
   AC_CONFIG_FILES([scripts/makefile])
diff --git a/scripts/bootstrap.sh b/scripts/bootstrap.sh
index ccd3856..a547611 100755
--- a/scripts/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/scripts/bootstrap.sh
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ GENERATED FILES
     * src/makefile.am - if you enabled AX_USE_CXX
     * src/version.hxx - if you enabled AX_USE_CXX
     * src/version.cxx - if you enabled AX_USE_CXX
+    * etc/makefile.am - if you enable AX_USE_ETC
     * html/makefile.am - if you enabled AX_BUILD_HTML
     * scripts/makefile.am - if you enabled AX_USE_SCRIPTS
     * nodejs/makefile.am - if you add AX_USE_NODEJS
@@ -256,6 +257,7 @@ FILES
                   number. In git, git rev-list --all --count is used.
                   The following macros are supported in configure.ac:
       * Enable C++: AX_USE_CXX
+      * Enable system config files in /etc: AX_USE_ETC
       * Enable LibTool library creation: AX_USE_LIBTOOL
       * Enable Scripts: AX_USE_SCRIPTS
       * Enable NodeJS project: AX_USE_NODEJS
@@ -569,6 +571,7 @@ AX_INIT_STANDARD_PROJECT
 
 # requirements, uncomment, what you need:
 #AX_USE_CXX
+#AX_USE_ETC
 #AX_USE_LIBTOOL
 #AX_USE_SCRIPTS
 #AX_USE_NODEJS
@@ -859,6 +862,13 @@ namespace NAMESPACE {
   const std::string IDENT("\$Id: " PACKAGE_STRING);
 }
 EOF
+to --condition AX_USE_ETC etc/makefile.am <<EOF
+${HEADER}pkgsysconfdir = \${sysconfdir}/@PACKAGE_NAME@
+
+dist_pkgsysconf_DATA = 
+
+MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = makefile.in
+EOF
 to --condition AX_USE_SCRIPTS scripts/makefile.am <<EOF
 ${HEADER}dist_bin_SCRIPTS =
 
@@ -1680,6 +1690,9 @@ SUBDIRS=""
 if testtag AX_USE_CXX; then
     SUBDIRS="${SUBDIRS} src"
 fi
+if testtag AX_USE_ETC; then
+    SUBDIRS="${SUBDIRS} etc"
+fi
 if testtag AX_BUILD_TEST AX_USE_CPPUNIT; then
     SUBDIRS="${SUBDIRS} test"
 fi