diff --git a/include/dmlc/base.h b/include/dmlc/base.h
index 3e76385715..29f4a1e1a4 100644
--- a/include/dmlc/base.h
+++ b/include/dmlc/base.h
@@ -92,6 +92,12 @@
 #endif
 #endif
 
+/*! \brief Whether to use modern thread local construct */
+#ifndef DMLC_MODERN_THREAD_LOCAL
+#define DMLC_MODERN_THREAD_LOCAL 1
+#endif
+
+
 
 /*! \brief whether RTTI is enabled */
 #ifndef DMLC_ENABLE_RTTI
diff --git a/include/dmlc/thread_local.h b/include/dmlc/thread_local.h
index fecaef8686..b10939c20e 100644
--- a/include/dmlc/thread_local.h
+++ b/include/dmlc/thread_local.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class ThreadLocalStore {
  public:
   /*! \return get a thread local singleton */
   static T* Get() {
-#if DMLC_CXX11_THREAD_LOCAL
+#if DMLC_CXX11_THREAD_LOCAL && DMLC_MODERN_THREAD_LOCAL == 1
     static thread_local T inst;
     return &inst;
 #else