diff --git a/development/cmake/config.h.cmake b/development/cmake/config.h.cmake
index 87bf84bef3..f667d047f5 100644
--- a/development/cmake/config.h.cmake
+++ b/development/cmake/config.h.cmake
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@
 // use GNU libstdc++ with C++11 ABI
 #cmakedefine USE_GLIBCXX_CXX11_ABI 1
 
+// use GNU c++11 extensions
+#cmakedefine LYX_USE_CXX11 1
+
 #cmakedefine Z_PREFIX 1
 
 ${Include_used_spellchecker}
diff --git a/development/cmake/modules/FindCXX11Compiler.cmake b/development/cmake/modules/FindCXX11Compiler.cmake
index 87a036ce71..51e236ed8b 100644
--- a/development/cmake/modules/FindCXX11Compiler.cmake
+++ b/development/cmake/modules/FindCXX11Compiler.cmake
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ FOREACH(FLAG ${CXX11_FLAG_CANDIDATES})
   IF(CXX11_FLAG_DETECTED)
     SET(CXX11_FLAG "${FLAG}")
     message(STATUS "CXX11_FLAG_DETECTED = \"${FLAG}\"")
+    set(LYX_USE_CXX11 1)
     BREAK()
   ENDIF()
 ENDFOREACH()