diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 0d28c5ddaa19cdb4fdcd0580b34221b4d3d3d790..f04449ecc8aaa0b7cbfc804255a1e93e76b480a7 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -660,6 +660,7 @@ ac_subst_files=''
 ac_user_opts='
 enable_option_checking
 with_zlib
+with_bzlib
 with_mpi
 enable_ld_preload
 with_mem_align
@@ -1294,6 +1295,9 @@ Optional Packages:
   --with-zlib=DIR root directory path of zlib installation defaults to
                     /usr/local or /usr if not found in /usr/local
   --without-zlib to disable zlib usage completely
+  --with-bzlib=DIR root directory path of bzlib installation defaults to
+                    /usr/local or /usr if not found in /usr/local
+  --without-bzlib to disable bzlib usage completely
   --with-mpi=<dir>        Location of the MPI installation
   --with-mem-align=<num>  Memory alignment in bytes
   --with-zlib-for-mpi=<dir>  base dir for zlib to use on mpi processes
@@ -3565,6 +3569,181 @@ $as_echo "failed" >&6; }
 fi
 
 
+#
+# Handle user hints
+#
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking if bzlib is wanted" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking if bzlib is wanted... " >&6; }
+
+# Check whether --with-bzlib was given.
+if test "${with_bzlib+set}" = set; then :
+  withval=$with_bzlib; if test "$withval" != no ; then
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: yes" >&5
+$as_echo "yes" >&6; }
+  if test -d "$withval"
+  then
+    BZLIB_HOME="$withval"
+  else
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: Sorry, $withval does not exist, checking usual places" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: Sorry, $withval does not exist, checking usual places" >&2;}
+  fi
+else
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: no" >&5
+$as_echo "no" >&6; }
+fi
+fi
+
+
+BZLIB_HOME=/usr/local
+if test ! -f "${BZLIB_HOME}/include/bzlib.h"
+then
+        BZLIB_HOME=/usr
+fi
+
+#
+# Locate bzlib, if wanted
+#
+if test -n "${BZLIB_HOME}"
+then
+        BZLIB_OLD_LDFLAGS=$LDFLAGS
+        BZLIB_OLD_CPPFLAGS=$LDFLAGS
+        LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L${BZLIB_HOME}/lib"
+        CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I${BZLIB_HOME}/include"
+
+        ac_ext=c
+ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
+ac_compile='$CC -c $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
+ac_link='$CC -o conftest$ac_exeext $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS $LDFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext $LIBS >&5'
+ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu
+
+        { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for BZ2_bzCompressInit in -lbz2" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for BZ2_bzCompressInit in -lbz2... " >&6; }
+if test "${ac_cv_lib_bz2_BZ2_bzCompressInit+set}" = set; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  ac_check_lib_save_LIBS=$LIBS
+LIBS="-lbz2  $LIBS"
+cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+
+/* Override any GCC internal prototype to avoid an error.
+   Use char because int might match the return type of a GCC
+   builtin and then its argument prototype would still apply.  */
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C"
+#endif
+char BZ2_bzCompressInit ();
+int
+main ()
+{
+return BZ2_bzCompressInit ();
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
+  ac_cv_lib_bz2_BZ2_bzCompressInit=yes
+else
+  ac_cv_lib_bz2_BZ2_bzCompressInit=no
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
+    conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
+LIBS=$ac_check_lib_save_LIBS
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_lib_bz2_BZ2_bzCompressInit" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_lib_bz2_BZ2_bzCompressInit" >&6; }
+if test "x$ac_cv_lib_bz2_BZ2_bzCompressInit" = x""yes; then :
+  bzlib_cv_libbz2=yes
+else
+  bzlib_cv_libbz2=no
+fi
+
+        ac_fn_c_check_header_mongrel "$LINENO" "bzlib.h" "ac_cv_header_bzlib_h" "$ac_includes_default"
+if test "x$ac_cv_header_bzlib_h" = x""yes; then :
+  bzlib_cv_bzlib_h=yes
+else
+  bzlib_cv_bzlib_h=no
+fi
+
+
+        ac_ext=c
+ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
+ac_compile='$CC -c $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
+ac_link='$CC -o conftest$ac_exeext $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS $LDFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext $LIBS >&5'
+ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu
+
+        if test "$bzlib_cv_libbz2" = "yes" -a "$bzlib_cv_bzlib_h" = "yes"
+        then
+                #
+                # If both library and header were found, use them
+                #
+                { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for BZ2_bzCompressInit in -lbz2" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for BZ2_bzCompressInit in -lbz2... " >&6; }
+if test "${ac_cv_lib_bz2_BZ2_bzCompressInit+set}" = set; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  ac_check_lib_save_LIBS=$LIBS
+LIBS="-lbz2  $LIBS"
+cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+
+/* Override any GCC internal prototype to avoid an error.
+   Use char because int might match the return type of a GCC
+   builtin and then its argument prototype would still apply.  */
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C"
+#endif
+char BZ2_bzCompressInit ();
+int
+main ()
+{
+return BZ2_bzCompressInit ();
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
+  ac_cv_lib_bz2_BZ2_bzCompressInit=yes
+else
+  ac_cv_lib_bz2_BZ2_bzCompressInit=no
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
+    conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
+LIBS=$ac_check_lib_save_LIBS
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_lib_bz2_BZ2_bzCompressInit" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_lib_bz2_BZ2_bzCompressInit" >&6; }
+if test "x$ac_cv_lib_bz2_BZ2_bzCompressInit" = x""yes; then :
+  cat >>confdefs.h <<_ACEOF
+#define HAVE_LIBBZ2 1
+_ACEOF
+
+  LIBS="-lbz2 $LIBS"
+
+fi
+
+                { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking bzlib in ${BZLIB_HOME}" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking bzlib in ${BZLIB_HOME}... " >&6; }
+                { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: ok" >&5
+$as_echo "ok" >&6; }
+        else
+                #
+                # If either header or library was not found, revert and bomb
+                #
+                { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking bzlib in ${BZLIB_HOME}" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking bzlib in ${BZLIB_HOME}... " >&6; }
+                LDFLAGS="$BZLIB_OLD_LDFLAGS"
+                CPPFLAGS="$BZLIB_OLD_CPPFLAGS"
+                { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: failed" >&5
+$as_echo "failed" >&6; }
+# Don't fail; this is optional in Darshan
+#                AC_MSG_ERROR(either specify a valid bzlib installation with --with-bzlib=DIR or disable bzlib usage with --without-bzlib)
+                { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: libbz2 not found; Darshan utilities will use gzip only." >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: libbz2 not found; Darshan utilities will use gzip only." >&2;}
+        fi
+fi
+
+
 
 
 # Check whether --with-mpi was given.
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 1235aa1aa27744a543e0f567d6f088fa8f7c96e9..cbc4727d1ea21b8706ab470ecd8d6c1d95f3c389 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ AC_CONFIG_HEADER(darshan-config.h)
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 
 CHECK_ZLIB
+CHECK_BZLIB
 
 AC_ARG_WITH(mpi,
 [  --with-mpi=<dir>        Location of the MPI installation],
diff --git a/darshan-config.h.in b/darshan-config.h.in
index fd1231bd2986043eeda15c396aeff82d33ff741e..de48378e306ab7a10c27a1d62e956de3f2cb1a3c 100644
--- a/darshan-config.h.in
+++ b/darshan-config.h.in
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <inttypes.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_INTTYPES_H
 
+/* Define to 1 if you have the `bz2' library (-lbz2). */
+#undef HAVE_LIBBZ2
+
 /* Define to 1 if you have the `z' library (-lz). */
 #undef HAVE_LIBZ
 
diff --git a/maint/config/check_bzlib.m4 b/maint/config/check_bzlib.m4
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..65aedb129958e2f3ad501f2e75ad6a390b98d6bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maint/config/check_bzlib.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+dnl @synopsis CHECK_BZLIB()
+dnl
+dnl This macro searches for an installed bzlib library. If nothing was
+dnl specified when calling configure, it searches first in /usr/local
+dnl and then in /usr. If the --with-bzlib=DIR is specified, it will try
+dnl to find it in DIR/include/bzlib.h and DIR/lib/libbz2.a. If
+dnl --without-bzlib is specified, the library is not searched at all.
+dnl
+dnl If either the header file (bzlib.h) or the library (libbz2) is not
+dnl found, the configuration exits on error, asking for a valid bzlib
+dnl installation directory or --without-bzlib.
+dnl
+dnl The macro defines the symbol HAVE_LIBBZ2 if the library is found. You
+dnl should use autoheader to include a definition for this symbol in a
+dnl config.h file. Sample usage in a C/C++ source is as follows:
+dnl
+dnl   #ifdef HAVE_LIBBZ2
+dnl   #include <bzlib.h>
+dnl   #endif /* HAVE_LIBBZ2 */
+dnl
+dnl @category InstalledPackages
+dnl @author Loic Dachary <loic@senga.org>
+dnl @version 2004-09-20
+dnl @license GPLWithACException
+
+AC_DEFUN([CHECK_BZLIB],
+#
+# Handle user hints
+#
+[AC_MSG_CHECKING(if bzlib is wanted)
+AC_ARG_WITH(bzlib,
+[  --with-bzlib=DIR root directory path of bzlib installation [defaults to
+                    /usr/local or /usr if not found in /usr/local]
+  --without-bzlib to disable bzlib usage completely],
+[if test "$withval" != no ; then
+  AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+  if test -d "$withval"
+  then
+    BZLIB_HOME="$withval"
+  else
+    AC_MSG_WARN([Sorry, $withval does not exist, checking usual places])
+  fi
+else
+  AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+fi])
+
+BZLIB_HOME=/usr/local
+if test ! -f "${BZLIB_HOME}/include/bzlib.h"
+then
+        BZLIB_HOME=/usr
+fi
+
+#
+# Locate bzlib, if wanted
+#
+if test -n "${BZLIB_HOME}"
+then
+        BZLIB_OLD_LDFLAGS=$LDFLAGS
+        BZLIB_OLD_CPPFLAGS=$LDFLAGS
+        LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L${BZLIB_HOME}/lib"
+        CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I${BZLIB_HOME}/include"
+        AC_LANG_SAVE
+        AC_LANG_C
+        AC_CHECK_LIB(bz2, BZ2_bzCompressInit, [bzlib_cv_libbz2=yes], [bzlib_cv_libbz2=no])
+        AC_CHECK_HEADER(bzlib.h, [bzlib_cv_bzlib_h=yes], [bzlib_cv_bzlib_h=no])
+        AC_LANG_RESTORE
+        if test "$bzlib_cv_libbz2" = "yes" -a "$bzlib_cv_bzlib_h" = "yes"
+        then
+                #
+                # If both library and header were found, use them
+                #
+                AC_CHECK_LIB(bz2, BZ2_bzCompressInit)
+                AC_MSG_CHECKING(bzlib in ${BZLIB_HOME})
+                AC_MSG_RESULT(ok)
+        else
+                #
+                # If either header or library was not found, revert and bomb
+                #
+                AC_MSG_CHECKING(bzlib in ${BZLIB_HOME})
+                LDFLAGS="$BZLIB_OLD_LDFLAGS"
+                CPPFLAGS="$BZLIB_OLD_CPPFLAGS"
+                AC_MSG_RESULT(failed)
+# Don't fail; this is optional in Darshan
+#                AC_MSG_ERROR(either specify a valid bzlib installation with --with-bzlib=DIR or disable bzlib usage with --without-bzlib)
+#                TODO: it would be nice if this showed up at the _end_ of
+#                configure...
+                AC_MSG_WARN(libbz2 not found; Darshan utilities will use gzip only.)
+        fi
+fi
+
+])