diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 17ef42f8..1446d020 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -118,7 +118,15 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(debug,
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(cxx_exceptions,
 [  --enable-cxx-exceptions use libunwind to handle C++ exceptions],
-[enable_cxx_exceptions=$enableval], [enable_cxx_exceptions=yes])
+[enable_cxx_exceptions=$enableval], 
+[
+# C++ exception handling doesn't work too well on x86
+case $target_arch in
+  x86*) enable_cxx_exceptions=no;;
+  *) enable_cxx_exceptions=yes;;
+esac
+])
+
 if test x$enable_cxx_exceptions = xyes; then
   AC_MSG_NOTICE([Enabling C++ exception support])
 fi
diff --git a/tests/check-namespace.sh.in b/tests/check-namespace.sh.in
index b8218813..007ba436 100644
--- a/tests/check-namespace.sh.in
+++ b/tests/check-namespace.sh.in
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ if [ $plat = $build_plat ]; then
     fetch_symtab $LIBUNWIND
     filter_misc
     check_local_unw_abi
-    if [ x@enable_cxx_exceptions@ = yes ]; then
+    if [ x@enable_cxx_exceptions@ = xyes ]; then
       check_cxx_abi
     fi
     check_empty