--- a/main/bootstrap.1	
+++ a/main/bootstrap.1	
@@ -116,6 +116,20 @@ if test -n "$DMAKE_URL" -a  ! -x "$SOLARENV/$OUTPATH/bin/dmake$EXEEXT"; then
     # Clean up.  Note that this is skipped when one of the exits is executed above.
     rm -rf "$tmp_build_dir"
 
+elif test "$IS_SYSTEM_DMAKE" = "YES"; then
+
+    echo ""
+    echo "dmake is located in search path"
+    echo ""
+
+elif test -n "$DMAKE_PATH" -a -x "$DMAKE_PATH" -a  ! -x "$SOLARENV/$OUTPATH/bin/dmake$EXEEXT"; then
+
+    cp -f "$DMAKE_PATH" "$SOLARENV/$OUTPATH/bin/dmake$EXEEXT" || exit
+
+    echo ""
+    echo "dmake copied to $SOLARENV/$OUTPATH/bin/dmake$EXEEXT"
+    echo ""
+
 else
 
     if test -x "$SOLARENV/$OUTPATH/bin/dmake$EXEEXT"; then
--- a/main/configure.in	
+++ a/main/configure.in	
@@ -1644,16 +1644,18 @@ dnl Search for a pre-installed dmake
 dnl ===================================================================
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([for dmake])
 AC_PATH_PROG(DMAKE, dmake, no)
+IS_SYSTEM_DMAKE=NO
 if test "$DMAKE" != "no"; then
    AC_MSG_RESULT([using system dmake])
-else
+   DMAKE_PATH="$DMAKE"
+   IS_SYSTEM_DMAKE=YES
+elif test -n "$with_dmake_path" ; then
    # Did not find pre-installed dmake.
    # Is it at a nonstandard location provided by --with-dmake-path ?
-   if test -n "$with_dmake_path" ; then
-      AC_PATH_PROG(DMAKE, dmake, no, "$with_dmake_path")
-      if test "$DMAKE" != "no"; then
-         AC_MSG_RESULT([using user provided dmake])
-      fi
+   AC_MSG_NOTICE([looking for dmake at $DMAKE_PATH])
+   if test -x "$with_dmake_path" ; then
+      AC_MSG_RESULT([using user provided dmake])
+      DMAKE=$with_dmake_path
    fi
 fi
 
@@ -1668,9 +1670,8 @@ if test "$DMAKE" = "no"; then
        AC_MSG_RESULT([dmake will be downloaded and compiled in bootstrap])
        DMAKE=
     else
-       AC_MSG_WARN([no URL for dmake source code specified, either.])
+       AC_MSG_ERROR([no URL for dmake source code specified, either.])
        BUILD_DMAKE=YES
-       AC_MSG_WARN([dmake will be built from internal sources but these will be removed in the future"])
     fi
 else
     AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether the found dmake is the right dmake])
@@ -1703,7 +1704,8 @@ if test "$DMAKE" = "no"; then
    AC_MSG_ERROR([please use --with-dmake-path or --with-dmake-url to specify dmake executable or source])
 fi
 AC_SUBST(DMAKE_URL)
-AC_SUBST(DMAKE)
+AC_SUBST(DMAKE_PATH)
+AC_SUBST(IS_SYSTEM_DMAKE)
 
 
 dnl ===================================================================
--- a/main/set_soenv.in	
+++ a/main/set_soenv.in	
@@ -1974,6 +1974,8 @@ ToFile( "ENABLE_AGG",        "@ENABLE_AGG@",       "e" );
 ToFile( "SYSTEM_AGG",	     "@SYSTEM_AGG@",       "e" );
 ToFile( "AGG_VERSION",	     "@AGG_VERSION@",      "e" );
 ToFile( "DMAKE_URL",         "@DMAKE_URL@",        "e" );
+ToFile( "DMAKE_PATH",        "@DMAKE_PATH@",       "e" );
+ToFile( "IS_SYSTEM_DMAKE",   "@IS_SYSTEM_DMAKE@",  "e" );
 ToFile( "BUILD_STAX",        "@BUILD_STAX@",       "e" );
 ToFile( "BUILD_UNOWINREG",   "@BUILD_UNOWINREG@",  "e" );
 ToFile( "USE_XINERAMA",      "@USE_XINERAMA@",     "e" );