diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 12232654bf..5852f46b81 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ endif
 pkgconfigdir = $(libdir)/pkgconfig
 pkgconfig_DATA = gstreamer-libs.pc
 
+aclocaldir = $(datadir)/aclocal
+aclocal_DATA = gst-element-check.m4
+
 SUBDIRS=gst-libs gst sys $(EXT_DIR) examples tools $(GCONF_DIR) testsuite
 
 DIST_SUBDIRS=gst-libs gst sys ext examples tools gconf testsuite
diff --git a/gst-element-check.m4 b/gst-element-check.m4
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f900dace75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gst-element-check.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+dnl Perform a check for a GStreamer element using gst-inspect
+dnl Thomas Vander Stichele <thomas at apestaart dot org>
+dnl Last modification: 23/10/2002
+
+dnl AM_GST_ELEMENT_CHECK(ELEMENT-NAME, ACTION-IF-FOUND, ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND)
+
+AC_DEFUN(AM_GST_ELEMENT_CHECK,
+[
+  AC_CHECK_PROG(GST_INSPECT, gst-inspect, gst-inspect, [])
+  if test "x$GST_INSPECT" != "x"; then
+    AC_MSG_CHECKING(GStreamer element $1)
+    if [ $GST_INSPECT $1 > /dev/null 2> /dev/null ]; then
+      AC_MSG_RESULT(found.)
+      $2
+    else
+      AC_MSG_RESULT(not found.)
+      $3
+    fi
+  fi
+])
diff --git a/gst-plugins-ugly.spec.in b/gst-plugins-ugly.spec.in
index 627fb38642..febb8059fc 100644
--- a/gst-plugins-ugly.spec.in
+++ b/gst-plugins-ugly.spec.in
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ GStreamer support libraries header files.
 %{_includedir}/gst-plugins-%{version}/gst/resample/resample.h
 %{_includedir}/gst-plugins-%{version}/gst/riff/riff.h
 %{_includedir}/gst-plugins-%{version}/gst/video/video.h
+%{_datadir}/aclocal/gst-element-check.m4
 %{_libdir}/pkgconfig/gstreamer-libs.pc
 
 # Here are all the packages depending on external libs #