diff --git a/build_tests/configure/on_fail.rb b/build_tests/configure/on_fail.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b685295
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build_tests/configure/on_fail.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+configure do
+  check_c_compiler "foo123c", fail: false, on_fail: "Install the foo123 package"
+  check_d_compiler "foo123d", fail: false
+  check_cxx_compiler "foo123cxx", on_fail: lambda {puts "Install the foo123cxx package"}
+end
diff --git a/doc/user_guide.md b/doc/user_guide.md
index b56d552..3647d32 100644
--- a/doc/user_guide.md
+++ b/doc/user_guide.md
@@ -246,6 +246,15 @@ configure do
 end
 ```
 
+Global configuration options may be supplied to the compiler checks as well.
+Example:
+
+```ruby
+configure do
+  check_c_compiler "x86_64-elf-gcc", on_fail: "Install x86_64-elf cross toolchain first!"
+end
+```
+
 ###> Checking for a Header File
 
 The following methods can be used to check for the presence of a header file:
@@ -272,18 +281,6 @@ end
 
 Optionally specifies an array of paths to look for the header file in.
 
-##### `:fail`
-
-If the `:fail` option is set to `false`, then the absence of the header file
-will not result in the configure option failing.
-The `:fail` option defaults to `true` if the `:set_define` option is not
-defined, and defaults to `false` if the `:set_define` option is defined.
-
-##### `:set_define`
-
-If set, a build define of the specified String will be added to the
-`CPPDEFINES` construction variable array if the requested header is found.
-
 ###> Checking for a D Import
 
 The `check_d_import` method can be used to check for the presence of D import.
@@ -327,18 +324,6 @@ end
 
 Optionally specifies an array of paths to look for the library in.
 
-##### `:fail`
-
-If the `:fail` option is set to `false`, then the absence of the library
-will not result in the configure option failing.
-The `:fail` option defaults to `true` if the `:set_define` option is not
-defined, and defaults to `false` if the `:set_define` option is defined.
-
-##### `:set_define`
-
-If set, a build define of the specified String will be added to the
-`CPPDEFINES` construction variable array if the requested library is found.
-
 ##### `:use`
 
 If not set, the library will be used by default in all `Environment` objects.
@@ -387,18 +372,6 @@ used to look for package configuration flags for the specified package.
 If the `:program` option is given, the program specified will be used to look
 for configuration flags.
 
-##### `:fail`
-
-If the `:fail` option is set to `false`, then the absence of the package or
-program requested will not result in the configure option failing.
-The `:fail` option defaults to `true` if the `:set_define` option is not
-defined, and defaults to `false` if the `:set_define` option is defined.
-
-##### `:set_define`
-
-If set, a build define of the specified String will be added to the
-`CPPDEFINES` construction variable array if the requested package is found.
-
 ##### `:use`
 
 If not set, the library will be used by default in all `Environment` objects.
@@ -457,6 +430,46 @@ configure do
 end
 ```
 
+###> Global Configuration Check Options
+
+#### `:fail`
+
+If the `:fail` option is set to `false`, then the absence of the package or
+program requested will not result in the configure option failing.
+The `:fail` option defaults to `true` if the `:set_define` option is not
+defined, and defaults to `false` if the `:set_define` option is defined.
+
+#### `:on_fail`
+
+The `:on_fail` option can be set to a String or a Proc object. If the
+configuration operation fails (or would fail), the given message is printed
+or the Proc is called.
+
+Examples:
+
+```ruby
+configure do
+  check_c_compiler "special-gcc", on_fail: "First install special gcc!"
+end
+
+configure do
+  package_hint = lambda do
+    puts "The following packages must be installed to build this project:"
+    puts "- libsdl2-dev"
+    puts "- libsdl2-image-dev"
+    puts "- libsdl2-net-dev"
+  end
+  check_lib "SDL2", on_fail: package_hint
+  check_lib "SDL2_image", on_fail: package_hint
+  check_lib "SDL2_net", on_fail: package_hint
+end
+```
+
+#### `:set_define`
+
+If set, a build define of the specified String will be added to the
+`CPPDEFINES` construction variable array if the requested package is found.
+
 ##> Build Operations
 
 The `build` block is used to create Environments and register build targets.
diff --git a/lib/rscons/configure_op.rb b/lib/rscons/configure_op.rb
index 497bf65..8f868bc 100644
--- a/lib/rscons/configure_op.rb
+++ b/lib/rscons/configure_op.rb
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ module Rscons
     # @return [void]
     def check_c_compiler(*ccc)
       $stdout.write("Checking for C compiler... ")
+      options = {}
+      if ccc.last.is_a?(Hash)
+        options = ccc.slice!(-1)
+      end
       if ccc.empty?
         # Default C compiler search array.
         ccc = %w[gcc clang]
@@ -69,7 +73,7 @@ module Rscons
       cc = ccc.find do |cc|
         test_c_compiler(cc)
       end
-      complete(cc ? 0 : 1, success_message: cc)
+      complete(cc ? 0 : 1, options.merge(success_message: cc))
     end
 
     # Check for a working C++ compiler.
@@ -80,6 +84,10 @@ module Rscons
     # @return [void]
     def check_cxx_compiler(*ccc)
       $stdout.write("Checking for C++ compiler... ")
+      options = {}
+      if ccc.last.is_a?(Hash)
+        options = ccc.slice!(-1)
+      end
       if ccc.empty?
         # Default C++ compiler search array.
         ccc = %w[g++ clang++]
@@ -87,7 +95,7 @@ module Rscons
       cc = ccc.find do |cc|
         test_cxx_compiler(cc)
       end
-      complete(cc ? 0 : 1, success_message: cc)
+      complete(cc ? 0 : 1, options.merge(success_message: cc))
     end
 
     # Check for a working D compiler.
@@ -98,6 +106,10 @@ module Rscons
     # @return [void]
     def check_d_compiler(*cdc)
       $stdout.write("Checking for D compiler... ")
+      options = {}
+      if cdc.last.is_a?(Hash)
+        options = cdc.slice!(-1)
+      end
       if cdc.empty?
         # Default D compiler search array.
         cdc = %w[gdc ldc2]
@@ -105,7 +117,7 @@ module Rscons
       dc = cdc.find do |dc|
         test_d_compiler(dc)
       end
-      complete(dc ? 0 : 1, success_message: dc)
+      complete(dc ? 0 : 1, options.merge(success_message: dc))
     end
 
     # Check for a package or configure program output.
@@ -387,11 +399,15 @@ module Rscons
           else
             !options[:set_define]
           end
+        color = should_fail ? :red : :yellow
+        Ansi.write($stdout, color, "#{fail_message}\n")
+        if options[:on_fail].is_a?(String)
+          $stdout.puts(options[:on_fail])
+        elsif options[:on_fail].is_a?(Proc)
+          options[:on_fail].call
+        end
         if should_fail
-          Ansi.write($stdout, :red, "#{fail_message}\n")
           raise ConfigureFailure.new
-        else
-          Ansi.write($stdout, :yellow, "#{fail_message}\n")
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/build_tests_spec.rb b/spec/build_tests_spec.rb
index 1f432fd..31e6b24 100644
--- a/spec/build_tests_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/build_tests_spec.rb
@@ -2222,6 +2222,16 @@ EOF
       end
     end
 
+    context "on_fail option" do
+      it "prints on_fail messages and calls on_fail procs on failure" do
+        test_dir "configure"
+        result = run_rscons(rsconscript: "on_fail.rb", op: %w[configure])
+        expect(result.status).to_not eq 0
+        expect(result.stdout).to match /Install the foo123 package/
+        expect(result.stdout).to match /Install the foo123cxx package/
+      end
+    end
+
     it "does everything" do
       test_dir "configure"
       create_exe "pkg-config", "echo '-DMYPACKAGE'"