--- a/common/autoconf/configure	Tue Feb 25 15:19:32 2014 +0100
+++ b/common/autoconf/configure	Thu Feb 27 09:17:58 2014 +0100
@@ -23,18 +23,19 @@
 #
 
 if test "x$1" != xCHECKME; then
-  echo "This script cannot be run directly."
+  echo "WARNING: Calling the wrapper script directly is deprecated and unsupported."
+  echo "Not all features of configure will be available."
   echo "Use the 'configure' script in the top-level directory instead."
-  exit 1
+  TOPDIR=$(cd $(dirname $0)/../.. > /dev/null && pwd)
+else
+  # Now the next argument is the absolute top-level directory path.
+  # The TOPDIR variable is passed on to configure.ac.
+  TOPDIR="$2"
+  # Remove these two arguments to get to the user supplied arguments
+  shift
+  shift
 fi
 
-# Now the next argument is the absolute top-level directory path.
-# The TOPDIR variable is passed on to configure.ac.
-TOPDIR="$2"
-# Remove these two arguments to get to the user supplied arguments
-shift
-shift
-
 conf_script_dir="$TOPDIR/common/autoconf"
 
 if [ "$CUSTOM_CONFIG_DIR" = "" ]; then