diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 819d43186c4..cadb547d9a1 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@ PROJECT(CPPCHECK)
 
 set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CPPCHECK_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/modules" ${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH})
 
+option(CPPCHECK_BUILD_USE_RULES "Would you like to use customised check rules?
+See also:
+http://sourceforge.net/projects/cppcheck/files/Articles/writing-rules-1.pdf/download
+(Software components which support the processing of Perl-compatible regular
+expressions will be required for the build system if this feature is enabled.)"
+       ON)
+
 # Building lib as static library is disabled due to bug
 # #1299 CMake: The CheckClass is not used
 # https://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/cppcheck/ticket/1299
diff --git a/cli/CMakeLists.txt b/cli/CMakeLists.txt
index 840d8a434db..ed8bf519bf8 100644
--- a/cli/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cli/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Minimal CMake build file to build cppcheck command line executable
 
+if(CPPCHECK_BUILD_USE_RULES)
+   find_package(PCRE REQUIRED)
+   add_definitions(-DHAVE_RULES)
+   include_directories("${PCRE_INCLUDE_DIR}")
+   set(CHECK_LIBS ${PCRE_LIBRARIES})
+endif()
+
 set(TINYXML_INCLUDE_DIR "${CPPCHECK_SOURCE_DIR}/externals/tinyxml/")
 
 SET(CHECKCLI_SRCS
diff --git a/lib/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
index 5ea9334cd82..ebe2fbf8125 100644
--- a/lib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@
 # - tests
 # - Qt GUI
 
+if(CPPCHECK_BUILD_USE_RULES)
+   find_package(PCRE REQUIRED)
+   add_definitions(-DHAVE_RULES)
+   include_directories("${PCRE_INCLUDE_DIR}")
+endif()
+
 set(CPPCHECK_LIB_DIR "")
 include("library_sources.cmake")
 
@@ -12,3 +18,7 @@ if (CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
 endif (CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
 
 add_library(checklib STATIC ${CPPCHECK_LIB_SOURCES})
+
+if(CPPCHECK_BUILD_USE_RULES)
+   target_link_libraries(checklib ${PCRE_LIBRARIES})
+endif()
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index f0450172075..1aca646d72a 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Minimal CMake build file to build cppcheck test suite
 
+if(CPPCHECK_BUILD_USE_RULES)
+   find_package(PCRE REQUIRED)
+   add_definitions(-DHAVE_RULES)
+   include_directories("${PCRE_INCLUDE_DIR}")
+   set(CHECK_LIBS ${PCRE_LIBRARIES})
+endif()
+
 set(TINYXML_INCLUDE_DIR "${CPPCHECK_SOURCE_DIR}/externals/tinyxml/")
 
 SET(CHECKTEST_SRCS