diff --git a/tools/heimdal-build.sh b/tools/heimdal-build.sh
index b0c3aca16..dd8f78799 100644
--- a/tools/heimdal-build.sh
+++ b/tools/heimdal-build.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ passhrase=
 builddir=
 noemail=
 cputimelimit=3600
+confflags=
 
 # Add some bonus paths, to find sendmail and other tools
 # on interesting platforms.
@@ -66,10 +67,6 @@ do
 		cputimelimit="$2"
 		shift 2
 		;;
-	--release)
-		hversion="heimdal-$2"
-		shift 2
-		;;
 	--cvs)
 		hversion="heimdal-cvs-${date}"
 		cvsroot=$2
@@ -80,6 +77,10 @@ do
 		cvsflags="$2"
 		shift 2
 		;;
+	--release)
+		hversion="heimdal-$2"
+		shift 2
+		;;
 	--result-directory)
 		resultdir="$2"
 		if [ ! -d "$resultdir" ]; then
@@ -100,6 +101,10 @@ do
 		passhrase="$2"
 		shift 2
 		;;
+	--prepend-path)
+		prependpath="$2"
+		shift 2
+		;;
 	--no-email)
 		noemail="yes"
 		shift
@@ -132,6 +137,11 @@ url="${baseurl}/${dir}${hfile}"
 afsfile="${afsdir}/${dir}${hfile}"
 unpack=yes
 
+# extra paths for the user
+if [ "X${prependpath}" != X ]; then
+	PATH="${prependpath}:${PATH}"
+fi
+
 # Limit cpu seconds this all can take
 ulimit -t "$cputimelimit" > /dev/null 2>&1
 
@@ -173,11 +183,10 @@ if [ "X$res" != X0 ]; then
 	exit 1
 fi
 
-confflags=
 case "${hversion}" in
     0.7*)
 	#true for Mac OS X, but how about the rest?
-	confflags="--enable-shared --disable-static"
+	confflags="${confflags} --enable-shared --disable-static"
 	;;
 esac