diff --git a/R/use_extendr.R b/R/use_extendr.R
index c7a1a0c0..bcb07f5a 100644
--- a/R/use_extendr.R
+++ b/R/use_extendr.R
@@ -68,6 +68,22 @@ use_extendr <- function(path = ".",
     cli::cli_alert_success("Creating {.file {pretty_rel_path(rust_src_dir, path)}}.")
   }
 
+  use_rextendr_template(
+    "configure",
+    save_as = file.path("configure"),
+    quiet = quiet,
+    as_executable = TRUE,
+    overwrite = overwrite
+  )
+
+  use_rextendr_template(
+    "configure.win",
+    save_as = file.path("configure.win"),
+    quiet = quiet,
+    as_executable = TRUE,
+    overwrite = overwrite
+  )
+
   use_rextendr_template(
     "entrypoint.c",
     save_as = file.path("src", "entrypoint.c"),
@@ -211,6 +227,7 @@ throw_if_invalid_rust_name <- function(name, call = caller_env()) {
 #'
 #' @inheritParams usethis::use_template
 #' @inheritParams use_extendr
+#' @param as_executable Logical scalar indicating whether the file should be executable.
 #' @param overwrite Logical scalar or `NULL` indicating whether the file in the `path` should be overwritten.
 #' If `FALSE` and the file already exists, the function will do nothing.
 #' If `NULL` and the `usethis` package is installed, the function will ask the user whether the file should
@@ -221,6 +238,7 @@ use_rextendr_template <- function(template,
                                   save_as = template,
                                   data = list(),
                                   quiet = FALSE,
+                                  as_executable = FALSE,
                                   overwrite = NULL) {
   local_quiet_cli(quiet)
 
@@ -265,6 +283,10 @@ use_rextendr_template <- function(template,
     overwrite = overwrite
   )
 
+  if (isTRUE(as_executable)) {
+    Sys.chmod(save_as, mode = "755")
+  }
+
   invisible(TRUE)
 }
 
diff --git a/inst/templates/configure b/inst/templates/configure
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..ba9d0187
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inst/templates/configure
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env sh
+
+export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.cargo/bin"
+
+if [ ! "$(command -v cargo)" ]; then
+    echo "----------------------- [RUST NOT FOUND]---------------------------"
+    echo "The 'cargo' command was not found on the PATH. Please install rustc"
+    echo "from: https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install"
+    echo ""
+    echo "Alternatively, you may install cargo from your OS package manager:"
+    echo " - Debian/Ubuntu: apt-get install cargo"
+    echo " - Fedora/CentOS: dnf install cargo"
+    echo " - macOS: brew install rustc"
+    echo "-------------------------------------------------------------------"
+    echo ""
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+exit 0
diff --git a/inst/templates/configure.win b/inst/templates/configure.win
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..f7df64e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inst/templates/configure.win
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.cargo/bin"
+
+if [ ! "$(command -v cargo)" ]; then
+    echo "----------------------- [RUST NOT FOUND]---------------------------"
+    echo "The 'cargo' command was not found on the PATH. Please install rustc"
+    echo "from: https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install"
+    echo "-------------------------------------------------------------------"
+    echo ""
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+exit 0
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/use_extendr.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/use_extendr.md
index 843f532c..201ee65a 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/use_extendr.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/use_extendr.md
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
       i Setting `Config/rextendr/version` to "0.3.1.9000" in the 'DESCRIPTION' file.
       i Setting `SystemRequirements` to "Cargo (rustc package manager)" in the 'DESCRIPTION' file.
       v Creating 'src/rust/src'.
+      v Writing 'configure'
+      v Writing 'configure.win'
       v Writing 'src/entrypoint.c'
       v Writing 'src/Makevars'
       v Writing 'src/Makevars.win'
@@ -203,6 +205,8 @@
     Code
       use_extendr()
     Message
+      > File 'configure' already exists. Skip writing the file.
+      > File 'configure.win' already exists. Skip writing the file.
       > File 'src/entrypoint.c' already exists. Skip writing the file.
       > File 'src/Makevars' already exists. Skip writing the file.
       > File 'src/Makevars.win' already exists. Skip writing the file.
@@ -220,6 +224,8 @@
     Code
       use_extendr(crate_name = "foo", lib_name = "bar", overwrite = TRUE)
     Message
+      v Writing 'configure'
+      v Writing 'configure.win'
       v Writing 'src/entrypoint.c'
       v Writing 'src/Makevars'
       v Writing 'src/Makevars.win'