diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 9752553406483ad793e3ed768f6049516a6c8fa8..d33da17e6e9c8221348b76fbb261d8706e8af6d8 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(buf-freelists,
    AS_HELP_STRING(--disable-buf-freelists, disable freelists for buffer RAM))
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(openbsd-malloc,
    AS_HELP_STRING(--enable-openbsd-malloc, Use malloc code from openbsd.  Linux only))
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(instrument-downloads,
+   AS_HELP_STRING(--enable-instrument-downloads, Instrument downloads of directory resources etc.))
 
 
 if test x$enable_cell_pool != xno; then
@@ -53,6 +55,10 @@ if test x$enable_buf_freelists != xno; then
             [Defined if we try to use freelists for buffer RAM chunks])
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_OPENBSD_MALLOC, test x$enable_openbsd_malloc = xyes)
+if test x$enable_instrument_downloads == xyes; then
+  AC_DEFINE(INSTRUMENT_DOWNLOADS, 1,
+            [Defined if we want to keep track of how much of each kind of resource we download.])
+fi
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(transparent,
      AS_HELP_STRING(--disable-transparent, disable transparent proxy support),