diff --git a/base/modules/psb_config.h.in b/base/modules/psb_config.h.in
index 948800ee..c4d1eeb4 100644
--- a/base/modules/psb_config.h.in
+++ b/base/modules/psb_config.h.in
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #include <math.h>
 #include <complex.h>
 
+@CSERIALMPI@
+
 @IPKDEF@
 @LPKDEF@
 
@@ -34,3 +36,5 @@ typedef float  psb_s_t;
 typedef double psb_d_t;
 typedef float  complex psb_c_t;
 typedef double complex psb_z_t;
+
+#endif
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 05b1e939..80096281 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -692,6 +692,7 @@ CHAVEAMD
 CREALMETIS
 CINTMETIS
 CHAVEMETIS
+CSERIALMPI
 LPKDEF
 IPKDEF
 FINCLUDES
@@ -4643,6 +4644,7 @@ if test x"$pac_cv_serial_mpi" == x"yes" ; then
    MPIFC="$FC";
    MPICC="$CC";
    MPICXX="$CXX";
+   CSERIALMPI="#define SERIAL_MPI"
 else
 ac_ext=c
 ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
@@ -11180,6 +11182,7 @@ FDEFINES=$(PSBFDEFINES)
 
 
 
+
 
 
 ###############################################################################
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b4a9d314..891f2705 100755
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -139,7 +139,8 @@ if test x"$pac_cv_serial_mpi" == x"yes" ; then
    FAKEMPI="fakempi.o";
    MPIFC="$FC";
    MPICC="$CC";
-   MPICXX="$CXX";	
+   MPICXX="$CXX";
+   CSERIALMPI="#define SERIAL_MPI"
 else 
 AC_LANG([C])
 if test "X$MPICC" = "X" ; then
@@ -1025,6 +1026,7 @@ FDEFINES=$(PSBFDEFINES)
 
 AC_SUBST(IPKDEF)
 AC_SUBST(LPKDEF)
+AC_SUBST(CSERIALMPI)
 AC_SUBST(CHAVEMETIS)
 AC_SUBST(CINTMETIS)
 AC_SUBST(CREALMETIS)