--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -776,7 +776,9 @@ if test $use_cuda = yes ; then
   CUDA_LIBS="-lcudart"
   CUDA_LDFLAGS="-L${CUDA_ROOT}/lib"
 
-  CUPTI_ROOT="${CUDA_ROOT}/extras/CUPTI"
+  if test x$CUPTI_ROOT = x ; then
+    CUPTI_ROOT="${CUDA_ROOT}/extras/CUPTI"
+  fi
   CUPTI_INC=${CUPTI_ROOT}/include
   CUPTI_CFLAGS="-I${CUPTI_INC}"
   CUPTI_LIBS="-lcupti"
