Index: common/cpu.c
===================================================================
--- common/cpu.c	(revision 627)
+++ common/cpu.c	(working copy)
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/sysctl.h>
 #endif
+#ifdef SYS_LINUX
+#include <signal.h>
+#include <setjmp.h>
+#endif
 
 #include <string.h>
 
@@ -111,7 +115,20 @@
 }
 
 #elif defined( ARCH_PPC )
+static sigjmp_buf jmpbuf;
+static volatile sig_atomic_t canjump = 0;
 
+static void sigill_handler (int sig)
+{
+    if (!canjump) {
+        signal (sig, SIG_DFL);
+        raise (sig);
+    }
+
+    canjump = 0;
+    siglongjmp (jmpbuf, 1);
+}
+
 #ifdef SYS_MACOSX
 #include <sys/sysctl.h>
 uint32_t x264_cpu_detect( void )
@@ -134,8 +151,22 @@
 #elif defined( SYS_LINUX )
 uint32_t x264_cpu_detect( void )
 {
-    /* FIXME (Linux PPC) */
-    return X264_CPU_ALTIVEC;
+    signal (SIGILL, sigill_handler);
+    if (sigsetjmp (jmpbuf, 1)) {
+        signal (SIGILL, SIG_DFL);
+	} else {
+            canjump = 1;
+
+            asm volatile ("mtspr 256, %0\n\t"
+                          "vand %%v0, %%v0, %%v0"
+                          :
+                          : "r" (-1));
+
+            signal (SIGILL, SIG_DFL);
+            return X264_CPU_ALTIVEC;
+        }
+    }
+    return 0;
 }
 #endif