diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 1338540c6..374b4297a 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1346,7 +1346,7 @@ CFLAGS="$BDW_GC_CFLAGS $CFLAGS"
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([GC_pthread_exit GC_pthread_cancel GC_pthread_sigmask])
 
 # Functions from GC 7.3.
-AC_CHECK_FUNCS([GC_move_disappearing_link])
+AC_CHECK_FUNCS([GC_move_disappearing_link GC_is_heap_ptr])
 
 LIBS="$save_LIBS"
 
diff --git a/libguile/pairs.h b/libguile/pairs.h
index 08d6ad92c..121a76518 100644
--- a/libguile/pairs.h
+++ b/libguile/pairs.h
@@ -177,6 +177,14 @@ scm_cdr (SCM x)
 #endif
 
 #ifdef BUILDING_LIBGUILE
+#ifndef HAVE_GC_IS_HEAP_PTR
+static int
+GC_is_heap_ptr (void *ptr)
+{
+  return GC_base (ptr) != NULL;
+}
+#endif
+
 static inline int
 scm_is_mutable_pair (SCM x)
 {