diff --git a/.gdbinit b/.gdbinit
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9d322fca93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gdbinit
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# GDB may have ./.gdbinit loading disabled by default.  In that case you can
+# follow the instructions it prints.  They boil down to adding the following to
+# your home directory's ~/.gdbinit file:
+#
+#   add-auto-load-safe-path /path/to/qemu/.gdbinit
+
+# Load QEMU-specific sub-commands and settings
+source scripts/qemu-gdb.py
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 13e040d28c..2203b9818b 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -6376,6 +6376,7 @@ FILES="$FILES pc-bios/spapr-rtas/Makefile"
 FILES="$FILES pc-bios/s390-ccw/Makefile"
 FILES="$FILES roms/seabios/Makefile roms/vgabios/Makefile"
 FILES="$FILES pc-bios/qemu-icon.bmp"
+FILES="$FILES .gdbinit scripts" # scripts needed by relative path in .gdbinit
 for bios_file in \
     $source_path/pc-bios/*.bin \
     $source_path/pc-bios/*.lid \