diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 9be5dd15e..f6eba864a 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -701,7 +701,20 @@ else:
 # *** Compiler Configuration Tests ***
 # ************************************
 
-conf = Configure(env)
+def CheckStatement(context, function, includes=""):
+    context.Message('Checking for %s... ' % function)
+    src = """
+%(include)s
+int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+    %(func)s;
+    return 0;
+}
+""" % {'func':function, 'include':includes}
+    result = context.TryCompile(src, '.cpp')
+    context.Result(result)
+    return result
+
+conf = Configure(env, custom_tests={'CheckStatement': CheckStatement})
 
 # Set up compiler options before running configuration tests
 env['CXXFLAGS'] = listify(env['cxx_flags'])
@@ -757,6 +770,12 @@ def get_expression_value(includes, expression):
 env['HAS_TIMES_H'] = conf.CheckCHeader('sys/times.h', '""')
 env['HAS_UNISTD_H'] = conf.CheckCHeader('unistd.h', '""')
 env['HAS_MATH_H_ERF'] = conf.CheckDeclaration('erf', '#include <math.h>', 'C++')
+
+env['HAS_GLOBAL_ISNAN'] = conf.CheckStatement('::isnan(1.0)', '#include <cmath>')
+env['HAS_STD_ISNAN'] = conf.CheckStatement('std::isnan(1.0)', '#include <cmath>')
+env['HAS_UNDERSCORE_ISNAN'] = conf.CheckStatement('_isnan(1.0)',
+                                                  '#include <cmath>\n#include <float.h>')
+
 env['HAS_BOOST_MATH'] = conf.CheckCXXHeader('boost/math/special_functions/erf.hpp', '<>')
 boost_version_source = get_expression_value(['<boost/version.hpp>'], 'BOOST_LIB_VERSION')
 retcode, boost_lib_version = conf.TryRun(boost_version_source, '.cpp')
@@ -1179,6 +1198,10 @@ if not env['HAS_MATH_H_ERF']:
 else:
     configh['USE_BOOST_MATH'] = None
 
+cdefine('USE_GLOBAL_ISNAN', 'HAS_GLOBAL_ISNAN')
+cdefine('USE_STD_ISNAN', 'HAS_STD_ISNAN')
+cdefine('USE_UNDERSCORE_ISNAN', 'HAS_UNDERSCORE_ISNAN')
+
 config_h = env.Command('include/cantera/base/config.h',
                        'include/cantera/base/config.h.in',
                        ConfigBuilder(configh))
diff --git a/include/cantera/base/config.h.in b/include/cantera/base/config.h.in
index 85644a610..977fc2a9d 100644
--- a/include/cantera/base/config.h.in
+++ b/include/cantera/base/config.h.in
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ typedef  int          ftnlen;       // Fortran hidden string length type
 
 //---------- C++ Compiler Variations ------------------------------
 
+// Name for 'isnan' varies for different compilers / standard libraries
+%(USE_STD_ISNAN)s
+%(USE_GLOBAL_ISNAN)s
+%(USE_UNDERSCORE_ISNAN)s
+
 // This define is needed to account for the variability for how
 // static variables in templated classes are defined. Right now
 // this is only turned on for the SunPro compiler on Solaris.
diff --git a/src/base/checkFinite.cpp b/src/base/checkFinite.cpp
index 41384cae9..316e22757 100644
--- a/src/base/checkFinite.cpp
+++ b/src/base/checkFinite.cpp
@@ -22,50 +22,36 @@
 #include <sunmath.h>
 #endif
 
-#ifdef _WIN32
-#include <float.h>
+// Compiler-dependent names for 'isnan' and 'finite'
+#if defined(USE_UNDERSCORE_ISNAN)
+    // Windows
+    #include <float.h>
+    #define isnan(x) _isnan(x)
+    #define finite(x) _finite(x)
+#elif defined(USE_STD_ISNAN)
+    // From C++11
+    using std::isnan;
+    #define finite(x) std::isfinite(x)
+#elif defined(USE_GLOBAL_ISNAN)
+    // From C99
+    using ::isnan;
+    using ::finite;
 #endif
 
-using namespace std;
-
 namespace Cantera {
 
 void checkFinite(const double tmp)
 {
-#if defined _WIN32
-    if (_finite(tmp)) {
-        if (_isnan(tmp)) {
-            printf("checkFinite() ERROR: we have encountered a nan!\n");
-        } else if (_fpclass(tmp) == _FPCLASS_PINF) {
-            printf("checkFinite() ERROR: we have encountered a pos inf!\n");
-        } else {
-            printf("checkFinite() ERROR: we have encountered a neg inf!\n");
-        }
-        throw std::range_error("checkFinite()");
-    }
-#elif defined __CYGWIN__
     if (!finite(tmp)) {
         if (isnan(tmp)) {
             printf("checkFinite() ERROR: we have encountered a nan!\n");
-        } else if (isinf(tmp) == 1) {
+        } else if (tmp > 0) {
             printf("checkFinite() ERROR: we have encountered a pos inf!\n");
         } else {
             printf("checkFinite() ERROR: we have encountered a neg inf!\n");
         }
         throw std::range_error("checkFinite()");
     }
-#else
-    if (!::finite(tmp)) {
-        if (::isnan(tmp)) {
-            printf("checkFinite() ERROR: we have encountered a nan!\n");
-        } else if (::isinf(tmp) == 1) {
-            printf("checkFinite() ERROR: we have encountered a pos inf!\n");
-        } else {
-            printf("checkFinite() ERROR: we have encountered a neg inf!\n");
-        }
-        throw std::range_error("checkFinite()");
-    }
-#endif
 }
 
 }