diff --git a/bfd/Makefile.am b/bfd/Makefile.am
index 5d7f899..03b6442 100644
--- a/bfd/Makefile.am
+++ b/bfd/Makefile.am
@@ -43,9 +43,15 @@ noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libbfd.la
 libbfd_la_LDFLAGS += -rpath $(rpath_bfdlibdir)
 endif
 
+# This is where we get zlib from.  zlibdir is -L../zlib and zlibinc is
+# -I../zlib, unless we were configured with --with-system-zlib, in which
+# case both are empty.
+ZLIB = @zlibdir@ -lz
+ZLIBINC = @zlibinc@
+
 WARN_CFLAGS = @WARN_CFLAGS@
 NO_WERROR = @NO_WERROR@
-AM_CFLAGS = $(WARN_CFLAGS)
+AM_CFLAGS = $(WARN_CFLAGS) $(ZLIBINC)
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -DBINDIR='"$(bindir)"'
 if PLUGINS
 bfdinclude_HEADERS += $(INCDIR)/plugin-api.h
@@ -840,7 +846,7 @@ ofiles: stamp-ofiles ; @true
 libbfd_la_SOURCES = $(BFD32_LIBS_CFILES)
 EXTRA_libbfd_la_SOURCES = $(CFILES)
 libbfd_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(OFILES) ofiles
-libbfd_la_LIBADD = `cat ofiles` @SHARED_LIBADD@ $(LIBDL)
+libbfd_la_LIBADD = `cat ofiles` @SHARED_LIBADD@ $(LIBDL) $(ZLIB)
 libbfd_la_LDFLAGS += -release `cat libtool-soversion` @SHARED_LDFLAGS@
 
 # libtool will build .libs/libbfd.a.  We create libbfd.a in the build
diff --git a/bfd/Makefile.in b/bfd/Makefile.in
index 60d994f..92eb33d 100644
--- a/bfd/Makefile.in
+++ b/bfd/Makefile.in
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ am__aclocal_m4_deps = $(top_srcdir)/../config/acx.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/../ltoptions.m4 $(top_srcdir)/../ltsugar.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/../ltversion.m4 $(top_srcdir)/../lt~obsolete.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/bfd.m4 $(top_srcdir)/warning.m4 \
-	$(top_srcdir)/acinclude.m4 $(top_srcdir)/../config/zlib.m4 \
-	$(top_srcdir)/version.m4 $(top_srcdir)/configure.ac
+	$(top_srcdir)/acinclude.m4 $(top_srcdir)/version.m4 \
+	$(top_srcdir)/configure.ac
 am__configure_deps = $(am__aclocal_m4_deps) $(CONFIGURE_DEPENDENCIES) \
 	$(ACLOCAL_M4)
 am__CONFIG_DISTCLEAN_FILES = config.status config.cache config.log \
@@ -334,6 +334,8 @@ top_build_prefix = @top_build_prefix@
 top_builddir = @top_builddir@
 top_srcdir = @top_srcdir@
 wordsize = @wordsize@
+zlibdir = @zlibdir@
+zlibinc = @zlibinc@
 AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = 1.11 no-dist foreign
 ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I . -I .. -I ../config
 INCDIR = $(srcdir)/../include
@@ -349,7 +351,13 @@ libbfd_la_LDFLAGS = $(am__append_1) -release `cat libtool-soversion` \
 @INSTALL_LIBBFD_TRUE@	$(INCDIR)/bfdlink.h $(am__append_2)
 @INSTALL_LIBBFD_FALSE@rpath_bfdlibdir = @bfdlibdir@
 @INSTALL_LIBBFD_FALSE@noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libbfd.la
-AM_CFLAGS = $(WARN_CFLAGS)
+
+# This is where we get zlib from.  zlibdir is -L../zlib and zlibinc is
+# -I../zlib, unless we were configured with --with-system-zlib, in which
+# case both are empty.
+ZLIB = @zlibdir@ -lz
+ZLIBINC = @zlibinc@
+AM_CFLAGS = $(WARN_CFLAGS) $(ZLIBINC)
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -DBINDIR='"$(bindir)"'
 @PLUGINS_TRUE@LIBDL = @lt_cv_dlopen_libs@
 
@@ -1113,7 +1121,7 @@ OFILES = $(BFD_BACKENDS) $(BFD_MACHINES) @COREFILE@ @bfd64_libs@
 libbfd_la_SOURCES = $(BFD32_LIBS_CFILES)
 EXTRA_libbfd_la_SOURCES = $(CFILES)
 libbfd_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(OFILES) ofiles
-libbfd_la_LIBADD = `cat ofiles` @SHARED_LIBADD@ $(LIBDL)
+libbfd_la_LIBADD = `cat ofiles` @SHARED_LIBADD@ $(LIBDL) $(ZLIB)
 
 # libtool will build .libs/libbfd.a.  We create libbfd.a in the build
 # directory so that we don't have to convert all the programs that use
diff --git a/bfd/acinclude.m4 b/bfd/acinclude.m4
index acb6419..ce6a72e 100644
--- a/bfd/acinclude.m4
+++ b/bfd/acinclude.m4
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ dnl along with this program; see the file COPYING3.  If not see
 dnl <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 dnl
 
-sinclude([../config/zlib.m4])
-
 dnl See whether we need to use fopen-bin.h rather than fopen-same.h.
 AC_DEFUN([BFD_BINARY_FOPEN],
 [AC_REQUIRE([AC_CANONICAL_TARGET])
diff --git a/bfd/compress.c b/bfd/compress.c
index 993a1d3..7e498fa 100644
--- a/bfd/compress.c
+++ b/bfd/compress.c
@@ -19,14 +19,11 @@
    MA 02110-1301, USA.  */
 
 #include "sysdep.h"
+#include <zlib.h>
 #include "bfd.h"
 #include "libbfd.h"
-#ifdef HAVE_ZLIB_H
-#include <zlib.h>
-#endif
 #include "safe-ctype.h"
 
-#ifdef HAVE_ZLIB_H
 static bfd_boolean
 decompress_contents (bfd_byte *compressed_buffer,
 		     bfd_size_type compressed_size,
@@ -72,10 +69,9 @@ decompress_contents (bfd_byte *compressed_buffer,
    successfully.  */
 
 static bfd_boolean
-bfd_compress_section_contents (bfd *abfd ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
-			       sec_ptr sec ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
-			       bfd_byte *uncompressed_buffer ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
-			       bfd_size_type uncompressed_size ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
+bfd_compress_section_contents (bfd *abfd ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED, sec_ptr sec,
+			       bfd_byte *uncompressed_buffer,
+			       bfd_size_type uncompressed_size)
 {
   uLong compressed_size;
   bfd_byte *compressed_buffer;
@@ -127,7 +123,6 @@ bfd_compress_section_contents (bfd *abfd ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
 
   return TRUE;
 }
-#endif  /* HAVE_ZLIB_H */
 
 /*
 FUNCTION
@@ -152,12 +147,10 @@ bfd_get_full_section_contents (bfd *abfd, sec_ptr sec, bfd_byte **ptr)
 {
   bfd_size_type sz;
   bfd_byte *p = *ptr;
-#ifdef HAVE_ZLIB_H
   bfd_boolean ret;
   bfd_size_type save_size;
   bfd_size_type save_rawsize;
   bfd_byte *compressed_buffer;
-#endif
 
   if (abfd->direction != write_direction && sec->rawsize != 0)
     sz = sec->rawsize;
@@ -189,10 +182,6 @@ bfd_get_full_section_contents (bfd *abfd, sec_ptr sec, bfd_byte **ptr)
       return TRUE;
 
     case DECOMPRESS_SECTION_SIZED:
-#ifndef HAVE_ZLIB_H
-      bfd_set_error (bfd_error_invalid_operation);
-      return FALSE;
-#else
       /* Read in the full compressed section contents.  */
       compressed_buffer = (bfd_byte *) bfd_malloc (sec->compressed_size);
       if (compressed_buffer == NULL)
@@ -232,7 +221,6 @@ bfd_get_full_section_contents (bfd *abfd, sec_ptr sec, bfd_byte **ptr)
       free (compressed_buffer);
       *ptr = p;
       return TRUE;
-#endif
 
     case COMPRESS_SECTION_DONE:
       if (sec->contents == NULL)
@@ -337,13 +325,8 @@ DESCRIPTION
 */
 
 bfd_boolean
-bfd_init_section_decompress_status (bfd *abfd ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
-				    sec_ptr sec ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
+bfd_init_section_decompress_status (bfd *abfd, sec_ptr sec)
 {
-#ifndef HAVE_ZLIB_H
-  bfd_set_error (bfd_error_invalid_operation);
-  return FALSE;
-#else
   bfd_byte compressed_buffer [12];
   bfd_size_type uncompressed_size;
 
@@ -378,7 +361,6 @@ bfd_init_section_decompress_status (bfd *abfd ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
   sec->compress_status = DECOMPRESS_SECTION_SIZED;
 
   return TRUE;
-#endif
 }
 
 /*
@@ -399,13 +381,8 @@ DESCRIPTION
 */
 
 bfd_boolean
-bfd_init_section_compress_status (bfd *abfd ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
-				  sec_ptr sec ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
+bfd_init_section_compress_status (bfd *abfd, sec_ptr sec)
 {
-#ifndef HAVE_ZLIB_H
-  bfd_set_error (bfd_error_invalid_operation);
-  return FALSE;
-#else
   bfd_size_type uncompressed_size;
   bfd_byte *uncompressed_buffer;
   bfd_boolean ret;
@@ -433,5 +410,4 @@ bfd_init_section_compress_status (bfd *abfd ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
 					 uncompressed_size);
 
   return ret;
-#endif
 }
diff --git a/bfd/config.in b/bfd/config.in
index 96a3e74..1ee1081 100644
--- a/bfd/config.in
+++ b/bfd/config.in
@@ -271,9 +271,6 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <windows.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_WINDOWS_H
 
-/* Define to 1 if you have the <zlib.h> header file. */
-#undef HAVE_ZLIB_H
-
 /* Define to the sub-directory in which libtool stores uninstalled libraries.
    */
 #undef LT_OBJDIR
diff --git a/bfd/configure b/bfd/configure
index a328813..b8f1b2b 100755
--- a/bfd/configure
+++ b/bfd/configure
@@ -620,6 +620,8 @@ SHARED_LDFLAGS
 LIBM
 COREFLAG
 COREFILE
+zlibinc
+zlibdir
 EXEEXT_FOR_BUILD
 CC_FOR_BUILD
 BFD_HOSTPTR_T
@@ -797,7 +799,7 @@ enable_build_warnings
 enable_maintainer_mode
 enable_install_libbfd
 enable_nls
-with_zlib
+with_system_zlib
 '
       ac_precious_vars='build_alias
 host_alias
@@ -1463,7 +1465,7 @@ Optional Packages:
   --with-pkgversion=PKG   Use PKG in the version string in place of "GNU
                           Binutils"
   --with-bugurl=URL       Direct users to URL to report a bug
-  --with-zlib             include zlib support (auto/yes/no) default=auto
+  --with-system-zlib      use installed libz
 
 Some influential environment variables:
   CC          C compiler command
@@ -11421,7 +11423,7 @@ else
   lt_dlunknown=0; lt_dlno_uscore=1; lt_dlneed_uscore=2
   lt_status=$lt_dlunknown
   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<_LT_EOF
-#line 11424 "configure"
+#line 11426 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 
 #if HAVE_DLFCN_H
@@ -11527,7 +11529,7 @@ else
   lt_dlunknown=0; lt_dlno_uscore=1; lt_dlneed_uscore=2
   lt_status=$lt_dlunknown
   cat > conftest.$ac_ext <<_LT_EOF
-#line 11530 "configure"
+#line 11532 "configure"
 #include "confdefs.h"
 
 #if HAVE_DLFCN_H
@@ -13851,91 +13853,18 @@ cat >>confdefs.h <<_ACEOF
 _ACEOF
 
 
-# Link in zlib if we can.  This allows us to read compressed debug sections.
-# This is used only by compress.c.
+# Use the system's zlib library.
+zlibdir=-L../zlib
+zlibinc="-I\$(srcdir)/../zlib"
 
-  # See if the user specified whether he wants zlib support or not.
+# Check whether --with-system-zlib was given.
+if test "${with_system_zlib+set}" = set; then :
+  withval=$with_system_zlib; zlibdir=
+zlibinc=
 
-# Check whether --with-zlib was given.
-if test "${with_zlib+set}" = set; then :
-  withval=$with_zlib;
-else
-  with_zlib=auto
 fi
 
 
-  if test "$with_zlib" != "no"; then
-    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for library containing zlibVersion" >&5
-$as_echo_n "checking for library containing zlibVersion... " >&6; }
-if test "${ac_cv_search_zlibVersion+set}" = set; then :
-  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
-else
-  ac_func_search_save_LIBS=$LIBS
-cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
-/* end confdefs.h.  */
-
-/* Override any GCC internal prototype to avoid an error.
-   Use char because int might match the return type of a GCC
-   builtin and then its argument prototype would still apply.  */
-#ifdef __cplusplus
-extern "C"
-#endif
-char zlibVersion ();
-int
-main ()
-{
-return zlibVersion ();
-  ;
-  return 0;
-}
-_ACEOF
-for ac_lib in '' z; do
-  if test -z "$ac_lib"; then
-    ac_res="none required"
-  else
-    ac_res=-l$ac_lib
-    LIBS="-l$ac_lib  $ac_func_search_save_LIBS"
-  fi
-  if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
-  ac_cv_search_zlibVersion=$ac_res
-fi
-rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
-    conftest$ac_exeext
-  if test "${ac_cv_search_zlibVersion+set}" = set; then :
-  break
-fi
-done
-if test "${ac_cv_search_zlibVersion+set}" = set; then :
-
-else
-  ac_cv_search_zlibVersion=no
-fi
-rm conftest.$ac_ext
-LIBS=$ac_func_search_save_LIBS
-fi
-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_search_zlibVersion" >&5
-$as_echo "$ac_cv_search_zlibVersion" >&6; }
-ac_res=$ac_cv_search_zlibVersion
-if test "$ac_res" != no; then :
-  test "$ac_res" = "none required" || LIBS="$ac_res $LIBS"
-  for ac_header in zlib.h
-do :
-  ac_fn_c_check_header_mongrel "$LINENO" "zlib.h" "ac_cv_header_zlib_h" "$ac_includes_default"
-if test "x$ac_cv_header_zlib_h" = x""yes; then :
-  cat >>confdefs.h <<_ACEOF
-#define HAVE_ZLIB_H 1
-_ACEOF
-
-fi
-
-done
-
-fi
-
-    if test "$with_zlib" = "yes" -a "$ac_cv_header_zlib_h" != "yes"; then
-      as_fn_error "zlib (libz) library was explicitly requested but not found" "$LINENO" 5
-    fi
-  fi
 
 
 # If we are configured native, pick a core file support file.
diff --git a/bfd/configure.ac b/bfd/configure.ac
index a1b2035..5426781 100644
--- a/bfd/configure.ac
+++ b/bfd/configure.ac
@@ -236,9 +236,16 @@ AC_CHECK_DECLS(snprintf)
 AC_CHECK_DECLS(vsnprintf)
 AC_CHECK_DECLS(strnlen)
 
-# Link in zlib if we can.  This allows us to read compressed debug sections.
-# This is used only by compress.c.
-AM_ZLIB
+# Use the system's zlib library.
+zlibdir=-L../zlib
+zlibinc="-I\$(srcdir)/../zlib"
+AC_ARG_WITH(system-zlib,
+[AS_HELP_STRING([--with-system-zlib], [use installed libz])],
+zlibdir=
+zlibinc=
+)
+AC_SUBST(zlibdir)
+AC_SUBST(zlibinc)
 
 # If we are configured native, pick a core file support file.
 COREFILE=
diff --git a/bfd/doc/Makefile.in b/bfd/doc/Makefile.in
index 72099f1..6038113 100644
--- a/bfd/doc/Makefile.in
+++ b/bfd/doc/Makefile.in
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ am__aclocal_m4_deps = $(top_srcdir)/../config/acx.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/../ltoptions.m4 $(top_srcdir)/../ltsugar.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/../ltversion.m4 $(top_srcdir)/../lt~obsolete.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/bfd.m4 $(top_srcdir)/warning.m4 \
-	$(top_srcdir)/acinclude.m4 $(top_srcdir)/../config/zlib.m4 \
-	$(top_srcdir)/version.m4 $(top_srcdir)/configure.ac
+	$(top_srcdir)/acinclude.m4 $(top_srcdir)/version.m4 \
+	$(top_srcdir)/configure.ac
 am__configure_deps = $(am__aclocal_m4_deps) $(CONFIGURE_DEPENDENCIES) \
 	$(ACLOCAL_M4)
 mkinstalldirs = $(SHELL) $(top_srcdir)/../mkinstalldirs
@@ -289,6 +289,8 @@ top_build_prefix = @top_build_prefix@
 top_builddir = @top_builddir@
 top_srcdir = @top_srcdir@
 wordsize = @wordsize@
+zlibdir = @zlibdir@
+zlibinc = @zlibinc@
 AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = 1.9 cygnus
 DOCFILES = aoutx.texi  archive.texi archures.texi \
 	bfdt.texi  cache.texi coffcode.texi \
