diff --git a/acconfig.h b/acconfig.h
index b84f44104..f5e56c87f 100644
--- a/acconfig.h
+++ b/acconfig.h
@@ -130,5 +130,8 @@
 /* Define this if you have _mkdir */
 #undef HAVE__mkdir
 
+/* Define this if you want progs typechecking */
+#undef TYPECHECK_PROGS
+
 @BOTTOM@
 #endif // __config_h_
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 73aa5b407..ecf7349a6 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -1152,6 +1152,12 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(optimize,
 	optimize=yes
 )
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(typecheck-progs,
+	[  --disable-typecheck-progs disable type checking on progs field access])
+if test "x$enable_typecheck_progs" != xno; then
+	AC_DEFINE(TYPECHECK_PROGS)
+fi
+
 AC_ARG_WITH(amd,
 	[  --with-amd              Optimize for AMD processors instead of Intel],
 	HAVE_AMD="yes",
diff --git a/nq/include/sv_progs.h b/nq/include/sv_progs.h
index d1f3cd0c7..bd3f0f2a9 100644
--- a/nq/include/sv_progs.h
+++ b/nq/include/sv_progs.h
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ typedef struct
 
 extern sv_fields_t sv_fields;
 
-#if 1
+#if TYPECHECK_PROGS
 #define SVFIELD(e,f,t) E_var (e, PR_AccessField (&sv_pr_state, #f, ev_##t, __FILE__, __LINE__), t)
 #else
 #define SVFIELD(e,f,t) E_var (e, sv_fields.f, t)
diff --git a/qw/include/sv_progs.h b/qw/include/sv_progs.h
index f5349a1ec..c58c1656f 100644
--- a/qw/include/sv_progs.h
+++ b/qw/include/sv_progs.h
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ typedef struct
 
 extern sv_fields_t sv_fields;
 
-#if 1
+#if TYPECHECK_PROGS
 #define SVFIELD(e,f,t) E_var (e, PR_AccessField (&sv_pr_state, #f, ev_##t, __FILE__, __LINE__), t)
 #else
 #define SVFIELD(e,f,t) E_var (e, sv_fields.f, t)