diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 76a1d80bea..9e58c51cfa 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -328,6 +328,7 @@ Toolchain options:
   --enable-pic             build position-independent code
   --enable-thumb           compile for Thumb instruction set
   --enable-lto             use link-time optimization
+  --env="ENV=override"     override the environment variables
 
 Advanced options (experts only):
   --malloc-prefix=PREFIX   prefix malloc and related names with PREFIX
@@ -1979,6 +1980,7 @@ CMDLINE_SET="
     cxx
     dep_cc
     doxygen
+    env
     extra_version
     gas
     host_cc
@@ -3077,6 +3079,10 @@ for opt do
     esac
 done
 
+for e in "$env"; do
+    eval "export $e"
+done
+
 disabled logging && logfile=/dev/null
 
 echo "# $0 $FFMPEG_CONFIGURATION" > $logfile