diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 343e037cd61..0cc5687aed2 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -4366,6 +4366,78 @@ else
   fi
 fi
 
+# We use C constructs that became invalid in C23.  Check if the compiler
+# reports a standard higher than C17, with the flags selected above (so the
+# user can control the language level explicitly to avoid the gcc/clang-only
+# fallback logic below if preferred).
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking whether $CC reports a C standard higher than ISO C17" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking whether $CC reports a C standard higher than ISO C17... " >&6; }
+cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+
+int
+main ()
+{
+#if __STDC_VERSION__ > 201710L
+choke me
+#endif
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_compile "$LINENO"; then :
+  POSTC17=no
+else
+  POSTC17=yes
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: ${POSTC17}" >&5
+$as_echo "${POSTC17}" >&6; }
+
+# If a too recent standard was detected with the user's CFLAGS, try asking for
+# C17 with GNU extensions explicitly.
+if test "$POSTC17" = yes; then
+  old_CFLAGS="$CFLAGS"
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking whether $CC supports -std=gnu17" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking whether $CC supports -std=gnu17... " >&6; }
+if ${pgac_cv_prog_cc_cflags__std_gnu17+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  pgac_save_CFLAGS=$CFLAGS
+CFLAGS="$pgac_save_CFLAGS -std=gnu17"
+ac_save_c_werror_flag=$ac_c_werror_flag
+ac_c_werror_flag=yes
+cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+
+int
+main ()
+{
+
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_compile "$LINENO"; then :
+  pgac_cv_prog_cc_cflags__std_gnu17=yes
+else
+  pgac_cv_prog_cc_cflags__std_gnu17=no
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
+ac_c_werror_flag=$ac_save_c_werror_flag
+CFLAGS="$pgac_save_CFLAGS"
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $pgac_cv_prog_cc_cflags__std_gnu17" >&5
+$as_echo "$pgac_cv_prog_cc_cflags__std_gnu17" >&6; }
+if test x"$pgac_cv_prog_cc_cflags__std_gnu17" = x"yes"; then
+  CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -std=gnu17"
+fi
+
+  if test "$CFLAGS" = "$old_CFLAGS"; then
+    as_fn_error $? "cannot proceed" "$LINENO" 5
+  fi
+fi
+
 # CFLAGS we determined above will be added back at the end
 user_CFLAGS=$CFLAGS
 CFLAGS=""
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 71eca207b25..9c537c2df00 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -409,6 +409,26 @@ else
   fi
 fi
 
+# We use C constructs that became invalid in C23.  Check if the compiler
+# reports a standard higher than C17, with the flags selected above (so the
+# user can control the language level explicitly to avoid the gcc/clang-only
+# fallback logic below if preferred).
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether $CC reports a C standard higher than ISO C17])
+AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([], [@%:@if __STDC_VERSION__ > 201710L
+choke me
+@%:@endif])], [POSTC17=no], [POSTC17=yes])
+AC_MSG_RESULT(${POSTC17})
+
+# If a too recent standard was detected with the user's CFLAGS, try asking for
+# C17 with GNU extensions explicitly.
+if test "$POSTC17" = yes; then
+  old_CFLAGS="$CFLAGS"
+  PGAC_PROG_CC_CFLAGS_OPT([-std=gnu17])
+  if test "$CFLAGS" = "$old_CFLAGS"; then
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([cannot proceed])
+  fi
+fi
+
 # CFLAGS we determined above will be added back at the end
 user_CFLAGS=$CFLAGS
 CFLAGS=""