diff --git a/acsite.m4 b/acsite.m4
index 3d82c223339d..78b4f15f1473 100644
--- a/acsite.m4
+++ b/acsite.m4
@@ -9,6 +9,51 @@ AC_DEFUN([AC_TYPE_UINT16_T], [_AC_TYPE_UNSIGNED_INT(16)])
 AC_DEFUN([AC_TYPE_UINT32_T], [_AC_TYPE_UNSIGNED_INT(32)])
 AC_DEFUN([AC_TYPE_UINT64_T], [_AC_TYPE_UNSIGNED_INT(64)])
 
+AC_DEFUN([AC_TYPE_UINT], [_AC_TYPE_UTYPE(u_int)])
+AC_DEFUN([AC_TYPE_ULONG], [_AC_TYPE_UTYPE(u_long)])
+AC_DEFUN([AC_TYPE_UCHAR], [_AC_TYPE_UTYPE(u_char)])
+AC_DEFUN([AC_TYPE_USHORT], [_AC_TYPE_UTYPE(u_short)])
+
+# _AC_TYPE_UTYPE(BASE)
+# -------------------
+AC_DEFUN([_AC_TYPE_UTYPE],
+[
+  AC_CACHE_CHECK([for $1], [ac_cv_c_$1],
+   [ac_cv_c_$1=no
+    case $1 in
+        "u_long")
+            ac_cv_c_$1_type="U_LONG"
+            ;;
+        "u_int")
+            ac_cv_c_$1_type="U_INT"
+            ;;
+        "u_short")
+            ac_cv_c_$1_type="U_SHORT"
+            ;;
+        "u_char")
+            ac_cv_c_$1_type="U_CHAR"
+            ;;
+        *)
+            ;;
+    esac
+
+    AC_COMPILE_IFELSE(
+	    [AC_LANG_BOOL_COMPILE_TRY(
+	        [AC_INCLUDES_DEFAULT],
+	        [[($1) -1 >> ((sizeof($1) * 8) - 1) == 1]])],
+	    [AS_CASE([$1], [$1],
+	    [ac_cv_c_$1=yes],
+	    [ac_cv_c_$1=no])])
+     ])
+  case $ac_cv_c_$1 in #(
+  no)
+    AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([HAVE_TYPE_$ac_cv_c_$1_type_NOT_DEFINED], [1], [$1 is undefined])
+        ;;
+  *)
+        ;;
+  esac
+])# _AC_TYPE_UTYPE
+
 # _AC_TYPE_INT(NBITS)
 # -------------------
 AC_DEFUN([_AC_TYPE_INT],
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c65500e6221e..82d6d353df26 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -223,6 +223,10 @@
     AC_TYPE_UINT16_T
     AC_TYPE_UINT32_T
     AC_TYPE_UINT64_T
+    AC_TYPE_UINT
+    AC_TYPE_USHORT
+    AC_TYPE_ULONG
+    AC_TYPE_UCHAR
     AC_STRUCT_TIMEZONE
     AC_CHECK_TYPES([ptrdiff_t])
     AC_HEADER_STDBOOL
diff --git a/src/suricata-common.h b/src/suricata-common.h
index 4cc3201e0067..7c2a1d920fb2 100644
--- a/src/suricata-common.h
+++ b/src/suricata-common.h
@@ -125,6 +125,19 @@
 #include <sched.h>     /* for sched_setaffinity(2) */
 #endif
 
+#ifdef HAVE_TYPE_U_LONG_NOT_DEFINED
+typedef unsigned long int u_long
+#endif
+#ifdef HAVE_TYPE_U_INT_NOT_DEFINED
+typedef unsigned int u_int
+#endif
+#ifdef HAVE_TYPE_U_SHORT_NOT_DEFINED
+typedef unsigned short u_short
+#endif
+#ifdef HAVE_TYPE_U_CHAR_NOT_DEFINED
+typedef unsigned char u_char
+#endif
+
 #include <pcre.h>
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SYSLOG_H