diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index 1388f465..3963e558 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ help:
 	@echo "Makefile options:"
 	@echo ""
 	@echo "make                >  Default: Compiler = g++"
+	@echo "make gcc-popcnt     >  Compiler = g++ + popcnt-support"
 	@echo "make icc            >  Compiler = icpc"
 	@echo "make icc-profile    >  Compiler = icpc + automatic pgo-build"
 	@echo "make icc-profile-popcnt >  Compiler = icpc + automatic pgo-build + popcnt-support"
@@ -108,6 +109,13 @@ gcc:
 	CXXFLAGS="$(GCCFLAGS)" \
 	all
 
+gcc-popcnt:
+	$(MAKE) \
+	CXX='g++' \
+	CXXFLAGS="$(GCCFLAGS) -DUSE_POPCNT" \
+	all
+
+
 icc:
 	$(MAKE) \
 	CXX='icpc' \
diff --git a/src/bitcount.h b/src/bitcount.h
index aa27c049..b32314d8 100644
--- a/src/bitcount.h
+++ b/src/bitcount.h
@@ -53,6 +53,30 @@ inline bool cpu_has_popcnt() {
 
 #define POPCNT_INTRINSIC(x) __popcnt64(x)
 
+#elif defined(__GNUC__) && defined(USE_POPCNT) // Gcc compiler
+
+inline void __cpuid(unsigned int op,
+                    unsigned int *eax, unsigned int *ebx,
+                    unsigned int *ecx, unsigned int *edx)
+{
+  *eax = op;
+  *ecx = 0;
+  __asm__("cpuid" : "=a" (*eax), "=b" (*ebx), "=c" (*ecx), "=d" (*edx)
+                  : "0" (*eax), "2" (*ecx));
+}
+
+inline bool cpu_has_popcnt() {
+
+  unsigned int eax, ebx, ecx, edx;
+  __cpuid(1, &eax, &ebx, &ecx, &edx);
+  return (ecx >> 23) & 1;
+}
+
+#define POPCNT_INTRINSIC(x) ({ \
+   unsigned long __ret; \
+   __asm__("popcnt %1, %0" : "=r" (__ret) : "r" (x)); \
+   __ret; })
+
 #else // Safe fallback for unsupported compilers or when USE_POPCNT is disabled
 
 inline bool cpu_has_popcnt() { return false; }