diff --git a/README.txt b/README.txt
index 8bd53fbcc..f47c63700 100644
--- a/README.txt
+++ b/README.txt
@@ -94,12 +94,18 @@ configure script that modify its behavior:
 	    common to use --prefix=/opt.  You can configure for a non-root
 	    install with --prefix=$HOME.
 
+	--enable-vvp32 (experimental)
+	    If compiling on AMD64 systems, this enables the
+	    compilation of 32bit compatible vvp (vvp32) and the vpi
+	    modules that match.
+
 NOTE FOR AMD64: If you are building on an AMD64 system, you probably
 want to put libraries in a lib64 directory instead of the usual lib
 directory. This is how Linux/AMD64 keeps 64bit libraries segregated
 from 32bit libraries. This is done by configuring like this:
 
-  ./configure libdir64='$(prefix)/lib64' vpidir1=vpi64 vpidir2=.
+  ./configure libdir64='$(prefix)/lib64' vpidir1=vpi64 vpidir2=. --enable-vvp32
+
 
 2.3 (Optional) Testing
 
diff --git a/vvp/Makefile.in b/vvp/Makefile.in
index 0f65f5db0..4c677657b 100644
--- a/vvp/Makefile.in
+++ b/vvp/Makefile.in
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 #    59 Temple Place - Suite 330
 #    Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA
 #
-#ident "$Id: Makefile.in,v 1.55 2003/10/02 21:30:40 steve Exp $"
+#ident "$Id: Makefile.in,v 1.56 2003/10/06 18:58:33 steve Exp $"
 #
 #
 SHELL = /bin/sh
@@ -114,6 +114,22 @@ tables.cc: $(srcdir)/draw_tt.c
 	./draw_tt > tables.cc
 	rm draw_tt@EXEEXT@
 
+ifeq (@enable_vvp32@,yes)
+bin32:
+	mkdir bin32
+
+bin32/%.o: %.cc bin32
+	$(CXX) -m32 -DHAVE_CVS_IDENT=1 $(CPPFLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS) -MD -c $< -o $@
+
+bin32/%.o: %.c bin32
+	$(CC) -m32 -DHAVE_CVS_IDENT=1 $(CPPFLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS) -MD -c $< -o $@
+
+bin32/lexor.o: lexor.cc parse.h
+
+vvp32: $(addprefix bin32/,$O)
+	$(CXX) -m32 $(rdynamic) $(CXXFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -o vvp32 $(addprefix bin32/,$O) $(LIBS) $(dllib)
+endif
+
 lexor.o: lexor.cc parse.h
 
 parse.o: parse.cc
diff --git a/vvp/configure.in b/vvp/configure.in
index cd5223069..2ebf774bd 100644
--- a/vvp/configure.in
+++ b/vvp/configure.in
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ AC_EXEEXT
 AC_MINGW32
 AC_SUBST(EXEEXT)
 
+# vvp32 is by default disabled
+#enable_vvp32=no
+AC_SUBST(enable_vvp32)
+
 AC_CHECK_PROGS(LEX,flex,none)
 if test "$LEX" = "none"
 then