new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/perror.c
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/* Print a message describing error code.
+   Copyright (C) 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+   Written by Bruno Haible and Simon Josefsson.
+
+   This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
+   (at your option) any later version.
+
+   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+   GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+   along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
+
+#include <config.h>
+
+/* Specification.  */
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
+void
+perror (const char *string)
+{
+  const char *errno_description = strerror (errno);
+
+  if (string != NULL && *string != '\0')
+    fprintf (stderr, "%s: %s\n", string, errno_description);
+  else
+    fprintf (stderr, "%s\n", errno_description);
+}

new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/m4/perror.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# perror.m4 serial 1
+dnl Copyright (C) 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+dnl This file is free software; the Free Software Foundation
+dnl gives unlimited permission to copy and/or distribute it,
+dnl with or without modifications, as long as this notice is preserved.
+
+AC_DEFUN([gl_FUNC_PERROR],
+[
+  AC_REQUIRE([gl_STDIO_H_DEFAULTS])
+  AC_REQUIRE([gl_HEADER_ERRNO_H])
+  if test -n "$ERRNO_H"; then
+    dnl The system's perror() cannot know about the new errno values we add
+    dnl to <errno.h>. Replace it.
+    REPLACE_PERROR=1
+    AC_LIBOBJ([perror])
+  fi
+])

new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/perror
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+Description:
+perror() function: print a message describing error code.
+
+Files:
+lib/perror.c
+m4/perror.m4
+
+Depends-on:
+stdio
+errno
+strerror
+
+configure.ac:
+gl_FUNC_PERROR
+gl_STRING_MODULE_INDICATOR([perror])
+
+Makefile.am:
+
+Include:
+<stdio.h>
+
+License:
+LGPL
+
+Maintainer:
+all