diff --git a/legacy/evas/configure.ac b/legacy/evas/configure.ac
index d62af9773c..8eb6fef148 100644
--- a/legacy/evas/configure.ac
+++ b/legacy/evas/configure.ac
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ SNAP=`echo $PACKAGE_VERSION | awk -F. '{printf("%s", $4);}'`
 version_info=`expr $VMAJ + $VMIN`":$VMIC:$VMIN"
 AC_SUBST(version_info)
 
+EFL_CHECK_PATH_MAX
 
 ### Needed information
 
diff --git a/legacy/evas/m4/efl_path_max.m4 b/legacy/evas/m4/efl_path_max.m4
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2c9b60afe7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/legacy/evas/m4/efl_path_max.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+dnl Check for PATH_MAX in limits.h, and define a default value if not found
+dnl This is a workaround for systems not providing PATH_MAX, like GNU/Hurd
+
+dnl EFL_CHECK_PATH_MAX([DEFAULT_VALUE_IF_NOT_FOUND])
+dnl
+dnl If PATH_MAX is not defined in <limits.h>, defines it
+dnl to DEFAULT_VALUE_IF_NOT_FOUND if it exists, or fallback
+dnl to using 4096
+
+AC_DEFUN([EFL_CHECK_PATH_MAX],
+[
+
+default_max=m4_default([$1], "4096")
+AC_LANG_PUSH([C])
+
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([for PATH_MAX in limit.h])
+AC_COMPILE_IFELSE(
+	[AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[#include <limits.h>]],
+	                 [[int i = PATH_MAX]])
+	],
+	AC_MSG_RESULT([yes]),
+	[
+	  AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([PATH_MAX],
+	                     [${default_max}],
+	                     [default value since PATH_MAX is not defined])
+	  AC_MSG_RESULT([no: using ${default_max}])
+	]
+)
+
+AC_LANG_POP([C])
+
+])
+dnl end of efl_path_max.m4