diff --git a/src/include/config.h b/src/include/config.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..72fd8648c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/include/config.h
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+
+/* the purpose of this file is to reduce the use of #ifdef's through
+   the code base by those porting the software, an dto facilitate the
+   eventual use of autoconf to build the server 
+*/
+
+/* un-Define this if your system does not have <unistd.h> */
+#define HAVE_UNISTD_H
+
+