diff --git a/include/boost/mpi/config.hpp b/include/boost/mpi/config.hpp
index cbf264b..a22649a 100644
--- a/include/boost/mpi/config.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/mpi/config.hpp
@@ -13,6 +13,17 @@
 #ifndef BOOST_MPI_CONFIG_HPP
 #define BOOST_MPI_CONFIG_HPP
 
+#if !defined(MPICH_IGNORE_CXX_SEEK)
+/* Force MPICH not to define SEEK_SET, SEEK_CUR, and SEEK_END, which
+   conflict with the versions in <stdio.h> and <cstdio>. */
+# define MPICH_IGNORE_CXX_SEEK 1
+#endif
+
+#if !defined(OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX)
+/* We do not want to link in the OpenMPI CXX stuff */
+# define OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
+#endif
+
 #include <mpi.h>
 #include <boost/config.hpp>