diff --git a/include/polarssl/config.h b/include/polarssl/config.h
index decfc73ae..1681e1b4b 100644
--- a/include/polarssl/config.h
+++ b/include/polarssl/config.h
@@ -2040,6 +2040,8 @@
 #define MEMORY_ALIGN_MULTIPLE               4 /**< Align on multiples of this value */
 
 // Platform options
+//
+#define POLARSSL_PLATFORM_STD_MEM_HDR <stdlib.h> /**< Header to include for default allocator. Don't define if no header is needed. */
 #define POLARSSL_PLATFORM_STD_MALLOC   malloc /**< Default allocator to use, can be undefined */
 #define POLARSSL_PLATFORM_STD_FREE       free /**< Default free to use, can be undefined */
 #define POLARSSL_PLATFORM_STD_PRINTF   printf /**< Default printf to use, can be undefined */
diff --git a/include/polarssl/platform.h b/include/polarssl/platform.h
index b5dd4d144..a202ac15d 100644
--- a/include/polarssl/platform.h
+++ b/include/polarssl/platform.h
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ extern "C" {
 #define POLARSSL_PLATFORM_STD_FPRINTF fprintf /**< Default fprintf to use */
 #define POLARSSL_PLATFORM_STD_MALLOC   malloc /**< Default allocator to use */
 #define POLARSSL_PLATFORM_STD_FREE       free /**< Default free to use */
+#else /* POLARSSL_CONFIG_OPTIONS */
+#if defined(POLARSSL_PLATFORM_STD_MEM_HDR)
+#include POLARSSL_PLATFORM_STD_MEM_HDR
+#endif
 #endif /* POLARSSL_CONFIG_OPTIONS */
 
 /*