diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 6d503a1a..d57e8010 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -219,6 +219,60 @@ else
     echo "no zlib found, using version provided by SimGear."
 fi
 
+# Check for the presence of SimGear
+AC_CHECK_HEADER(simgear/version.h)
+if test "x$ac_cv_header_simgear_version_h" != "xyes"; then
+    echo
+    echo "You *must* have the SimGear support library installed on your system"
+    echo "to build the FGFS simulator!"
+    echo
+    echo "Please see README.SimGear for more details."
+    echo
+    echo "configure aborted."
+    exit
+fi
+
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(for proper simgear version)
+
+AC_TRY_RUN([
+#include <simgear/version.h>
+
+#if !defined(SIMGEAR_VERSION)
+#error simgear version too old, please upgrade.
+#endif
+
+#define STRINGIFY(X) XSTRINGIFY(X)
+#define XSTRINGIFY(X) #X
+
+#define MIN_MAJOR 0
+#define MIN_MINOR 0
+#define MIN_MICRO 13
+
+int main() {
+    int major, minor, micro;
+
+    printf("%d.%d.%d or greater... ", MIN_MAJOR, MIN_MINOR, MIN_MICRO);
+
+    sscanf( STRINGIFY(SIMGEAR_VERSION), "%d.%d.%d", &major, &minor, &micro );
+
+    if ( major < MIN_MAJOR ) {
+	 return -1;
+    } else if ( major == MIN_MAJOR && minor < MIN_MINOR ) {
+	 return -1;
+    } else if ( major == MIN_MAJOR && minor == MIN_MINOR && micro < MIN_MICRO ){
+	 return -1;
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+],
+  AC_MSG_RESULT(yes),
+  [AC_MSG_RESULT(wrong version);
+   AC_MSG_ERROR([Install latest simgear first...])],
+  AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+)
+
 dnl Checks for typedefs, structures, and compiler characteristics.
 AC_C_CONST
 AC_TYPE_SIZE_T