diff --git a/dtool/Config.pp b/dtool/Config.pp
index bdb0a5b866..59b15b03af 100644
--- a/dtool/Config.pp
+++ b/dtool/Config.pp
@@ -463,6 +463,13 @@
 #define TIFF_LIBS tiff z
 #defer HAVE_TIFF $[libtest $[TIFF_LPATH],$[TIFF_LIBS]]
 
+// Is libtar installed, and where?  This is used to optimize patch
+// generation against tar files.
+#define TAR_IPATH
+#define TAR_LPATH
+#define TAR_LIBS tar
+#defer HAVE_TAR $[libtest $[TAR_LPATH],$[TAR_LIBS]]
+
 
 // Is libfftw installed, and where?
 #define FFTW_IPATH /usr/local/include
diff --git a/dtool/LocalSetup.pp b/dtool/LocalSetup.pp
index e7fbf83429..8061690382 100644
--- a/dtool/LocalSetup.pp
+++ b/dtool/LocalSetup.pp
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@
 #else
 #print - Did not find libtiff
 #endif
+#if $[HAVE_TAR]
+#print + libtar
+#else
+#print - Did not find libtar
+#endif
 #if $[HAVE_FFTW]
 #print + fftw
 #else
@@ -190,6 +195,9 @@ $[cdefine HAVE_PNG]
 /* Define if we have libtiff installed.  */
 $[cdefine HAVE_TIFF]
 
+/* Define if we have libtar installed.  */
+$[cdefine HAVE_TAR]
+
 /* Define if we have libfftw installed.  */
 $[cdefine HAVE_FFTW]
 
diff --git a/dtool/Package.pp b/dtool/Package.pp
index b4e42a32d9..1e9a3acc2b 100644
--- a/dtool/Package.pp
+++ b/dtool/Package.pp
@@ -135,6 +135,11 @@
 #set TIFF_LIBS $[TIFF_LIBS]
 #set HAVE_TIFF $[HAVE_TIFF]
 
+#set TAR_IPATH $[unixfilename $[TAR_IPATH]]
+#set TAR_LPATH $[unixfilename $[TAR_LPATH]]
+#set TAR_LIBS $[TAR_LIBS]
+#set HAVE_TAR $[HAVE_TAR]
+
 #set FFTW_IPATH $[unixfilename $[FFTW_IPATH]]
 #set FFTW_LPATH $[unixfilename $[FFTW_LPATH]]
 #set FFTW_LIBS $[FFTW_LIBS]
diff --git a/dtool/pptempl/Global.pp b/dtool/pptempl/Global.pp
index d4ba7db098..e2a3321821 100644
--- a/dtool/pptempl/Global.pp
+++ b/dtool/pptempl/Global.pp
@@ -211,6 +211,13 @@
   #define tiff_libs $[TIFF_LIBS]
 #endif
 
+#if $[HAVE_TAR]
+  #define tar_ipath $[wildcard $[TAR_IPATH]]
+  #define tar_lpath $[wildcard $[TAR_LPATH]]
+  #define tar_cflags $[TAR_CFLAGS]
+  #define tar_libs $[TAR_LIBS]
+#endif
+
 #if $[HAVE_FFTW]
   #define fftw_ipath $[wildcard $[FFTW_IPATH]]
   #define fftw_lpath $[wildcard $[FFTW_LPATH]]